By: Carrie Paris & Tina Hardt
Publisher: Weiser Books
Number of cards: 82
Card size: 5 in x 3.5 in
Box size: 5.5 x 7.5 x 2 in
Guidebook pages: 144
Release Date: September, 2023
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy from Weiser Books

First pull: Labour (not sure how I feel about that, lol)

Absolute favorite card: Spirit Throne

My favorite cards: Leadership, Academic, Compass, Snake, Absence, Disconnect, Sovereign, Act of Love Card (Here and Now)

Favorite Feature: Inclusion of the Spirit Throne and Quija Cards

First Impressions: I’ll be honest, my first impressions weren’t great but that’s my fault for not giving it a fair chance. The reason why I didn’t like it at first is because of the artwork. I only saw the cover of this deck when Weiser offered to send it so I had no idea what the cards looked like. Vintage photos freak me out, they always have. Something about looking at them makes me think a ghost is going to jump right out. To be honest, photos of people kind of freak me out in general. but that’s a story for another time.

But then I read the guidebook and pretty much fell in love. It’s such a unique offering. I’ve never seen a deck quite like it. Yes, it’s for general divination but you truly get the feeling of talking to an ancestor or guide when you pull these cards. Maybe it’s the cards themselves, or the way the authors crafted the deck, or maybe dare I say, it’s the hauntingly antique photos holding a bit of the spirit of the person whose image is immortalized. Most likely a combination of the perfect elements coming together to create a truly creative oracle deck.

My absolute favorite thing about the deck is the Spirit Throne card which isn’t really an oracle card. It’s a portal that is intended to sit in front of your reading space as an open seat for a spirit or ancestor. I loved this because one of my guides always appears in a throne. I met him over a decade ago and he has never appeared any other way. The spirit throne image is also the image on the box which was the singular image I saw and what drew me to the deck to begin with. I had no idea how much this one image would resonate so deeply. In fact, I shamelessly admit, I’d like to adopt something similar in my own future decks. What an inspiration.

My second favorite thing about the deck is a card titled Quija. The book calls it a ‘wild card’ and it doesn’t have an interpretation in the book by design. The authors say its a few things about this card but really stood out is their suggestion that when this card appears, it means there’s a lingering question you need to ask. I loved this so much. I truly believe tarot and by extension oracle cards, are most effective when you ask the right questions. The idea that there’s a card dedicated to letting you there’s a need to go deeper or wider in your reading is brilliant. Something else I am immensely inspired by.

I don’t love the first card I pulled - labour. I haven’t really sat with it enough to figure out what it’s saying and I do feel a bit of resistance towards it. But I also don’t believe in putting cards back and asking again just because I got an answer I didn't like. Having said that, the guidance in the book felt complete for each card. I have always felt like my ancestors are tough on me, even a bit mean. And the guidance in the books feels exactly like talking to my ancestors. It makes me feel like they are genuinely the ones speaking to me through these cards. In fact, I think this is the first time I’ve felt like I’ve connect with my ancestors in a deck. I’ve felt connected to spirit and my higher self, but never my ancestors.

The funny thing is, I’ve been mad at my ancestors lately to tell you the truth. I haven’t wanted to connect with them and have felt like they didn’t have my back. And then suddenly, I started getting so many books and decks which seem to speak directly to ancestral work. It’s very clear, me and my ancestors have some work to do and I truly believe I was directed to this deck for a reason. And I believe the same is true for you if you feel called to purchase it.

The packaging is lovely. The box is nice and sturdy and quite large. It has a magnetic closure and a platform to hold the cards. The guidebook is full color and nice and big. I also love the pops of blue on the box, the ribbon inside the box, and throughout the book. I wish that blue had been carried to the sides of the cards instead of the standard issue gold. But that’s probably the best thing I can come up with as far as something I don’t care for.

There are plenty of spreads. I mean lots. The spread I love most is actually kind of 7 spreads in one. It’s really inventive and meant to unlock full self-awareness. It’s called the Pillar of Personal power. I’m planning on using this spread tonight.

It’s definitely a must have for Samhain. You can work with your ancestors anytime of the year but Samhain is the best night to do it since the entire day is about your ancestors, death, and piercing the veil. If you can, I highly recommend getting this before Samhain if for no other reason than to use the Spirit Throne card. But beyond that, it’s a great way to get to know your ancestors. Call on them and ask them to tell you about themselves. The cards are all titled with professions, personality traits, and other excellent indicators of the kind of people throughout your lineage.

Any decks you’d like a review on? Have any questions about decks at all? Leave me a comment and stay tuned for more weekly reviews.