Customer Reviews

The Enchanted Tarot

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I believe that with tarot one must develop a personal connection with the cards, but I think anyone interested in a beautiful and positive deck would love this one! The artwork is tapestry with pastels and sequins and is absolutely beautiful. Every picture is full of symbolism that reflects aspects of the message of each card. I am quickly learning to read the cards instead of relying on the book because it is so easy to understand the message by looking at the visual clues, I have studied 3 decks so far but seen about 50, and this one is the easiest to 'translate'

The book also breaks each card down into three aspects, the 'dream' meaning of the card, which gives a literal description of the card itself and the message reflected. The second aspect is the awakening, which gives plain-spoken advice on how to put the message into action in your life, and the third aspect is the enchantment, with gives little rituals/visualizations one can use to further manifest the card's message.

As for the artwork, it is stunning and positive! Even Death looks jaunty, like he's about to break out in a tap dance routine at any moment. The ten of swords is the card I always turn to, to give me an idea of the energy behind a deck. The ten of swords (Ruin) in this deck is represented by a woman laying down the body of a young girl. It is somber as it should be, but depicts an air of resignation and acceptance. Most 10 of swords give me the heebie jeebies, this one I thin is perfect.

The Book is well worded, the cards have beautiful artwork and positive energy, it is my *very* favorite. I usually have something 'negative' to say in a review in the interest of honesty, but I can't think of anything negative about this one!

I have a special place in my heart for this deck, though I have used it seldom since '93 or so. This is the First Tarot Deck I ever owned--purchased on October 13, 1990. I believe this is a great Starter Deck and I always had great success with the readings. One particular reading, that I wrote in my journal, was absolutely astonishing and accurate to the tiniest detail.... I love the great hard-back, beautiful book that comes with the deck (complete with attached ribbon bookmark). At the time, I was not interested in the more popular decks and was drawn to this one.... I believe Women and Artistic-minded people will enjoy and treasure this deck. It is a great introduction to the Tarot, and inspired me to write a Poem.

I have many tarot decks and this one, purchased about 9 years ago, has always been the one I brought out when I wanted a really accurate reading (although I know each person has to get one that's best for him/her). I used it a lot in college and people from all over campus would come to get a reading because it was so accurate (I haven't had the same luck with other decks--again, I know it's a personal thing). The stories that go with the cards make them easy to understand and follow/interpret, and there is so much going on in the pictures you never tire of looking at them. My only complaint is that my book has worn out (thanks to a little help from the dog) and I want to replace it, but I don't need another deck of cards (those are kept in silk and are still in excellent condition). Is there anywhere I can just purchase the book, without the cards? I hope so! I'll check back on this page from time to time in hopes someone can help. :)

I have to go with the majority here in praising the artwork of these cards; with their many shapes and textures, they're undeniably gorgeous. However, for me, that may be part of the problem...there's simply too much going on in each card, with the result (for me, at least) that the artwork distracts from the meaning. I own several Tarot decks, and this is the only one that I consistently have trouble reading.

Another problem (and again, this is for me...as several reviewers have noted, each person has his/her own relationship with different decks) is that with their Victorian-type styling, they're a bit too "modern" for my taste. Anyone like me who connects strongly with mythical/folkloric archetypes may miss the more traditional symbolism that I'm used to in Tarot decks. I think that is the main reason these cards don't "speak" to me like other decks do.

Many of the reviews have mentioned the positive nature of the illustrations, and I have mixed feelings about this. This positivity does make the cards more non-threatening, but sometimes we need strong warnings about possible dire situations that may lie ahead. The Ten of Swords -should- be a frightening card, but the idea is that the cards surrounding it should give advice as to how to avoid or at least lessen the impact of the situation.

I do like the format of the book, although I have to give the same caveat as another reviewer did: Readers should read from the cards, not from the book. However, I think the exercises given in the book do help novice readers to begin to associate the meanings of the cards in their minds.

Overall, most of my problems with this deck come down to personal taste. I can certainly see why the deck has drawn so many good reviews, and again, different decks speak to different people. For me, though, this deck is in my collection merely for the artwork, since for divinatory purposes I just don't connect with it.

This was my first set of Tarot cards. Within no time I was not only doing my own cards, but those of friends and family. These cards have always been right on the money. Each time I have done the cards for a person who has never had their cards read, they have become true believers in the Tarot. The designs are exquisite and the book is simple to use. The explanations for each card are easy to understand and have a very powerful message. The biggest plus about these cards is that the messages are designed to give one hope that no matter how bad things are, there are ways to battle back and with perserverence and hard work, no matter how horrible the situation may seem, a positive outcome is always possible. A must for beginners and a wonderous addition for experienced Tarot readers.

I've used The Enchanted Tarot since it first came out in 1990 and I have never found it necessary to use another deck. I have been reading professionally for twenty years and my clients, since I started using it, always comment on how beautiful the cards are. Before I used The Enchanted Tarot, they never commented on my other decks. The fabric collage tapestries of Amy Zerner are beyond beautiful and have a multi-cultural quality unlike anything I have ever seen. Almost all the other tarot decks I've seen are dark and spooky, or so amateurish as to be laughable. Those are the kind of decks that give tarot a bad name. The Enchanted Tarot is gentle and healing and I've gone through two sets myself and given many, many sets away as gifts. The Enchanted Tarot is what the tarot can and should be: beautiful, powerful, and accurate. Buy it, you won't be sorry!

I've read with this deck since it came out about ten years ago. I usually let clients pick which of three or four decks speaks to them, and the enchanted is a favourite of people who have not had a reading done before. It also seems to reassure people who are a little afraid what the cards might tell them.

The Enchanted Tarot is a beautiful deck with lots of soft coordinating colours and rich fairy tale and Arabian Nights imagery. Because the face designs are constructed from fabric collage or even quilting in some cases, this deck has a depth and sense of texture than many do not achieve. This deck is quite sturdy with unusually thick and heavy cardstock. Cards from other decks I have read with over long periods of time have literally worn out and ripped in half; this is not a danger here.

As in so many cases, the beauties of this deck contain its flaws. I find some of the fabric collage designs -- particularly of the Major Arcana -- to be unnecessarily cluttered. Sometimes this makes it dificult to get into the card and hear what it has to say. The designs of the Major Arcana are also bordered in a way that makes the main images quite small. Much of the traditional symbolic detail is absent in favour of one main figure, for example, a skeleton for Death and a large, round doily for the Wheel. I find this makes the readings in which these cards appear lacking in depth and detail. This is not always a bad thing.

I am not particularly fond of the substitution of hearts for the suit of cups. I don't understand why the artists did this or why they didn't substitute playing card suits for all four Minor Arcana suits. It works, though.

I read from the cards, not from a book. In fact, the first thing I tell students is to throw away their books. So I disagree with Farber/Zerner's premise of enlarging the pictures in the book so you can see the detail. That just locks you into remembering the book, instead of looking at what's in front of you. I think what details are relevant should be clearly visible on the cards. These cards are hard to see.

As I noted before the cards are very thick -- the deck is about a third again as thick as most others. The cards are also quite long and narrow. One card is almost as long as my entire hand and slightly less wide than my palm. They are extremely difficult to shuffle. People with small hands take heed. I tend to shuffle this deck in halves. Many clients simply stir them around on the table.

Not my favourite deck, but a possibly useful addition to a reader's toolbag.

I have been using this deck now for about a month. I will say up front I am a beginner at tarot reading--so please keep that in mind when tempering your own decisions on purchasing this deck or not.

But there are a few things about this deck that I am disappointed with, accompanied by points of that same disappointment that are actually good.

1. The cards are so large, that I find it difficult to shuffle them. And I have largish hands for a woman, so I can't imagine how difficult it might be for someone with small hands. On the other hand (no pun intended) the cards are big enough to read and the more I am using them, the easier they are becoming to shuffle.

2. Though the deck at first glance is beautiful--the colors and images are quite fetching, I am having a lot of trouble really intuiting responses. I am depending greatly on the book. This may be because I am new, but it may be that all the colors used kind of blend together. Each card looks very similar to the next.

3. The book is hardcover and gives a full page with 3 types of interpretations for each card, which I found to be very cool. And as a newbie witch, I thought the "enchantments" aka spells, for each card, were pretty nifty too. However, the book only gives a one card, three card and celtic cross spread and skims over the actual how-to divine process. You will definitely need a more in-depth book or previous knowledge on this part.

4. And finally, I must say that I did get accurate readings (at least what I perceived as accurate) every time I have used these cards.

Whether you are a reader with thirty years experience like me or someone buying your first tarot deck, "The Enchanted Tarot" is a must have! There is really no better deck to learn the tarot with, though Farber and Zerner's "The Instant Tarot Reader" can have you reading the cards in two minutes. "The Enchanted Tarot" has more about the artwork in the cards and the meanings of the card in your reading, while "The Instant Tarot Reader" tells you what the card means specifically for certain types of questions. It is a matter of personal taste, but every beginner should own at least one of them.

I cannot even begin to say how beautiful Amy Zerner's fabric collage tapestry tarot cards are. They make all of the other tarot decks look plain grotesque. I am a professional tarot reader and this is with only two exceptions my clients' favorite deck. Once they see it, they demand I read them with "The Enchanted Tarot." If you have small hands or don't shuffle well, then use the Zerner/Farber Tarot deck....The art is the same size, but the borders have been removed.

...I have never ever heard anything but astonished praise from ever yone of the dozens of people I've given this set to over the years. Take it from me, someone who knows the tarot, Zerner's art and this set are the best of the best.

The cards are the most beautiful cards that I have seen. They have color, depth, and character. You expect to feel their texture when you touch them; they come to life as you read them. Their size and shape add to their charm. Many of the same pictures are repeated in another set of cards by the authors, but they do not have the same impact there as here.

The book is well designed. The facing pages contain a large photo of each card. They also contain stories and readings as one might expect. One finds themselves re-reading sentences, though, to find meaning among excess words and gratuitous adjectives.