Customer Reviews

The Heart of Faerie Oracle

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a long time fan of both Brian and Wendy Froud, and have been enjoying my "Faeries' Oracle" for 10 years now. "The Heart of Faerie Oracle" is a collaboration between Brian and Wendy, and is easily every bit as stunning as Brian's first deck.

There are 65 named cards in this deck (along with 3 unnamed cards), and it includes a lovely hard bound book (137 pages) featuring antique style pictures of each card along with a description on beautiful parchment-like paper.

The faeries are divided into categories:

The Faerie Queens
The Queens' Consorts
The Archetypes
Sprites
The Ladies
Tricksters
The Journey

There are also a couple of example layouts to use, an interview with Brian and Wendy Froud, and then several blank pages to use as notes.

You can somewhat pick up on the energy of the card by looking at the picture, but I found much deeper meaning for each faerie by reading the description in the book. Of course, this can slow you down on doing readings for others until you have read what each and every card means, but I have found that even in the short time I've had this deck, my readings have been accurate, powerful, and extremely helpful (even when I've had to peek at the book).

I have also found, unlike almost every other deck I've worked with, that once I've read the story behind each card, it's easy to remember it - so I don't have to keep looking it up.

The faerie themselves are absolutely beautiful, showing all aspects of the faerie, both light and dark.

The Heart of Faerie Oracle is not a rainbows and sunshine deck. It embraces both the light and dark aspects of these beings, who in turn embrace us, both light and dark. I have found this deck to be one of the powerful oracles I've worked with to date, and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in discovering more about the world of the faerie, or those who already walk comfortably in the realm.

I am a massive fan of Brian Froud's work and the original Faerie Oracle deck is my fav deck to use for readings for many years.

I was so disappointed when I finally got to touch these cards. The cards themselves are very flimsy in quality. The worst quality I have seen so far for any oracle/tarot deck. The art work, although beautiful, just isn't as carefully planned and selected as the original oracle. As such I just get a bad vibe picking these up, looking through them etc. They just don't seem balanced/harmonized.

Since I have a lot of Brian Froud's books I have seen a lot of the art work before. The images seemed to be have been treated like 'pick n mix' and there are even characters from movie concepts and another divination book the Faery Runes. So I felt a bit cheated. It just didn't feel right seeing that art work, especially concept art, forced together in something used as a divination tool. It just feels really messy as a whole.

The book itself I admit I have only flipped through. But what I did read just seemed very wishy-washy and not really thought through and left no real imprint on me at all.

This is the first thing by the Froud's that I have actually felt like taking back to the store for a refund as I was so disappointed.
If you want a deck with art work from Froud buy the first one ''The Faeries' Oracle'' its better quality, it has better design and the cards actually go well together. Otherwise just buy his other art books.

Brian & Wendy Froud provide a beautiful oracle set with The Heart Of Faerie and I personally found the book to be well written and useful.I have to admit I really liked Macbeth's work on the first set but Wendy Froud does a great job here and shouldn't be discounted for it. My cards however were in really poor shape the first time around (nicked corners , no cellophane , warped and scuffed)sooo I sent them back and the next set was in "better" shape but still no cellophane. Great production but piss poor manufacturing. Come on Frouds lets pick it up for the next product!

I am an owner of both the Faeries Oracle and the Heart of Faerie Oracle by Froud. I also own many Doreen Virtue decks and a few other oracle decks. I must inject my enthusiasm for both Froud decks as they are the most accurate of oracle decks that I own other than Colette Baron Reid's. The Froud decks are so accurate that I even find them better than Tarot.

With that said. The Heart of Faerie (HoF) hasn't been getting a lot of splendid reviews. I find this deck to be very accurate, as accurate as The Faeries Oracle (FO). HoF has beautiful illustrations brighten by color. FO was a deck I never really liked using because the faeries were so... sublime.... almost scary looking... unappealing to my tastes but when I opened up the box I could FEEL the energy of this deck. Just hated having to read through the gosh long explenations for each card and having some of the uglier cards come up during a reading.

HoF the faeries are more attractive, there's more colors to the cards. The meanings are less complexly written. They are all upright though (no explenations for reversed cards in this deck as Wendy Froud isn't into reversed as in comparison to Jessica Macbeth). So for those who loved the accuracy in the FO but not the illustrations then the HoF is for you.

Mindful, the HoF deck is highly tuned to romantic inquiries. The FO is for every aspect of your life or your querents.

I am doing what another reader is doing and combining the two decks to give readings which is easily done as the cards are of the same size... but not the same backing.

These two are the best oracle decks out there.. I don't know how they did it... twice!

Very good, except for the paper quality it's a great deck. I wouldn`t recommend it for professional use cause de paper wont stand the shuffling. They should make it better.

I just received this deck today, though I ordered it quite a while ago. Not the fault of anyone other than the US Postal Service. In fact, the day I got the deck in the mail, I went to a local bookstore and bought the deck, thinking I would return the other deck if it ever showed up. My town's post office told me it was lost. When I got home from the bookstore with the new deck, there was the one I ordered from Amazon! I now have two. So I can't help but think that the Faeries are messing with me and having quite a laugh over this and my incredible impatience. I decided to find a friend to take the other deck because it's just too good to return. This deck is beautiful, magikal, and right on. I took them out of the box and did a reading for someone and it was perfect for her question. It was very easy for me to connect with the cards. This deck is a little simpler to use than their first deck, though that one has been my favorite oracle type deck. Since I read professionally, I'm going to study these cards, because as the previous review says, reading what is written in the book really does take it much deeper, though you don't necessarily have to memorize the definitions. I hope to bring this amazing wisdom to my clients. This deck fills in where traditional Tarot stops...and it also encourages your own connection with the Faeries and your own inner guidance. A great deck, highly recommended. Oh, I should also point out that the art is amazing, though that is a given!

Quite honestly, I've not had a lot of time, yet, to really explore this book or the deck of cards. However, from what I've read and from flipping through the deck, I'm pleased.

The text is much simplified from the previous 'The Faery Oracle Cards', which may be good or bad, I don't know yet. However, the cards are even more gorgeous, if that's possible. I really loved reading the large book 'The Heart of Faerie', which I found to be lush and informative.

I actually bought this current book/deck for a friend's birthday (since she has no Froud products but has enjoyed all of mine). The box arrived unsealed and slightly squashed and I hesitated to give it to her in that condition. Was it truly new? It was supposed to be. So, I ordered a second deck so that I would have one. The second deck also arrived unsealed (no celophane) but unsquashed (which is the version I'll give her). Why no celophane?

Notwithstanding, I expect I'll enjoy this deck and that my friend and I will have great fun exploring our decks when we go on retreat next month, to the place where we first got turned on to the world of Froud. A place filled with spirits of nature: Breitenbush Hot Springs.

When you enter the world of Faerie you enter another world, a world of magic and love that is opened to you through your imagination and is guided by the wisdom and beauty of faeries. Each faerie encountered along the way is a unique being fully thought-out with their own personalities and intriguing quirks. Each faerie encountered is there to guide you on your way.

But the world of Faerie is not at all times giggles and sunshine; there is a deep and complex side to Faerie that is not always easily navigated. However, through each individual faerie and their corresponding card you will find a meaning for each faerie that appears to you on your journey into their magical world.

Each card in the set offers an image that tells its own story as it draws you in, a story that is interpreted and added to by the reader. There are many familiar faces that have returned once again to share their knowledge, but there are also many new faces who have for the first time presented themselves in this charming set.

The Heart of Faerie Oracle showcases the masterful and stunningly beautiful artwork of Brian Froud in such a way as to involve the reader in the enchanting story as narrated by the faeries through Wendy Froud. This is officially the first work the couple have collaborated on together and an interview with Brian and Wendy Froud about this is included.

There is something about Brian Froud's art that is both inspiring and emotional, a raw beauty that looks deep inside and captures the very heart of a thing. That same essence is captured here in this set. My first reading with these lovely cards was using the three wishes reading, more about that and the faeries meanings can be found inside The Heart of Faerie Oracle.

Why would you need another Faery oracle deck from Brian Froud after Faery Oracle? Well I was just curious enough to see. I bought this deck for my best fae friend for her 50th birthday, and it was on our faery altar shortly after midnight!

What we love are the "inside jokes" of this deck, which communicates directly with Faery Oracle. Personages from Faery Oracle make cameo appearances in Heart of Faery to remind us that they are not outdated, but are available to inform the reader.

All around, I would say that Heart of Faery and its new informers are more user friendly than Faery Oracle. Think of it as a prequel. When I get my own copy, and that's a when and not an if, my plan is to shuffle the two decks together to create a merrie faerie mayhem!

Ever since 1981, I have always believed in the faeries and their unseen world after reading Brian Froud's original Faeries. This oracle brings me full circle to the real "magic kingdom". This deck lets one experience a reading from faerieland. The art is stunning! The backs are strong offering reversals if preferred.

The organization of the deck is not based on tarot. Its quite original, with a few wild cards thrown in for you, the reader to deal with. The deck is playful and welcoming. The meanings are for you to interpret. If you need a solid reference, there is the handy hardcover book, carefully written by Wendy Froud. Each card get the rational meaning for those who need it. She handles it skillfully, without giving credit to the otherwordly inspirations. Yes, some of the meanings are harsh. The faeries arent always kind and gentle, often times mischievious and troublesome. I like her writing and have little doubt that a good reader would have a problem with the set.

It works for beginners, simply for the fact that anyone using this deck is beginning, myself included. I love learning this new system, which challenges and teaches me about someplace I have never considered before-my own heart, where the faeries have always lived!