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Created By: Priestess Moon
Publisher: Rockpool Publishing
Number of cards: 36
Card size: 5 in x 3.5 in
Box size: 5.5 x 4 x 1.25 in
Guidebook pages: 92
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy gifted from Rockpool Publishing

Absolute favorite card: Madonna Lily
Other favorites: Boggard Posy, Cannabis, Snowdrop, Henbane, Yew, Cherry Laurel, Hemlock Water-Dropwort, Liberty Cap, Stinging Nettle, Opium Poppy
Notable detail: Matte red sides, velvet touch feel, Pg 13 is very special
Season: Spring at night
Sabbat: Samhain
Sign: Scorpio/ Aquarius
Tarot Deck compliment: The Wild Unknown

First Impressions: Full honesty, I don’t resonate with the art. Usually I get a list of decks from publishers and I choose the ones I resonate with. Sometimes, I’ll get an extra deck that I didn’t ask for which is what happened with this one. When that happens, I trust that I was meant to have it even if I didn’t ask for it. And I absolutely love this deck, despite my lack of connection to the art. It’s not a style I enjoy on its own but I find myself completely mesmerized by the art after reading through the book and working with it. I’m getting ahead of myself though. Let’s start from the beginning. But before getting into this review, I have to say, please use any and all plants and herbs responsibly and in the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

The Packaging

I love the box. Rockpool does packaging well and that’s my absolute favorite thing about all of my decks from Rockpool. This box has a beautiful velvet matte feel which is my favorite when it comes to boxes and books. It’s so nice on the hands and matte is so much better for photos. I know aesthetics irritate people sometimes. Recently, people have been posting about how aesthetics don’t make a spiritual practice and that’s true but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a part of a spiritual practice. I am coming to see photography as an integral part to how I show up in the world so for me, aesthetics do matter when I’m working with a deck. I also have Venus in Libra so if you’re into astrology, you know beauty is rather key to me forming a connection to something.

The bottom of the box has the most striking red that matches the back of the box. It really is such an experience to open the black box and be greeted with the bright red. There’s also printing inside the top and bottom of the box which of course is a sturdy two piece set.

And speaking of bright red, please check out the matte red sides on these cards. What a feature indeed. The first thing that came to mind when I saw them was bright red lipstick that perhaps a black widow might wear to poison her victims. If this were a nail polish, I would 100% name it venom. The pops of red throughout the deck were a great touch in my opinion.

The Guidebook

The guidebook is full color which isn’t a surprise as most if not all Rockpool books are in full color. Even the older ones came with full color books. Each card has a botanical name, energy, alternative name, medical use, and magical use. But my favorite feature is the card’s meaning that’s broken up into “the poison” and “the antidote.” How appropriate and clever for a deck about poisonous plants? I love that “the poison” comes first. Shadow decks are often watered down and people don’t always like a tough love approach or to be presented with hard facts. But this book puts it front and center and I love it so much. You can’t fix a problem until you recognize what it is so the poison and then the remedy is the way.

There are four spreads which are also quite clever. I love all of them. They’re written to help identify behaviors in you either yourself or others. The Mortar and Pestle spread is especially good and perfect for dealing with conflicts between two people. Ånd while I don’t think this was included as a way to use it, I think it could be very useful when seeking guidance when you’re feeling conflicted. Like when your heart wants one thing and your brain wants something else.

My favorite part of the book is on page 13: “Five Signs that indicate the Deadly Apothecary is working.” Priestess Moon, I think I have to borrow that from you. It was so unexpected but hit the nail right on the head. So many times, people tell me they don’t actually know how to put tarot guidance into action or they don’t know if they’re headed in the right direction. This handy little list gives you tangible ways to tell if you’re growing spiritually. It's quite brilliant.

The Artwork

The artwork isn’t my vibe but I do have an appreciation for it. It's kind of like art deco style which I don’t like at all but I know the history of it and the meaning behind the design choices and because of that knowledge, I really respect it as a style. I feel the same about the Deadly Apothecary Oracle. On its own, I don’t care much for the art but after reading the guidebook, I felt like it expertly matches the meaning behind the deck. The artwork is a little uncomfortable, so is poison. It feels like an awkward deck to use at first but it slowly grows on you with time. Not unlike people who take very small amounts of snake venom over time to build up a tolerance.

My favorite card is Madonna Lily. The whole point of this deck is to confront your own low energy and behaviors and me and my spiritual friends can sometimes have a sense of spiritual superiority. We try to check ourselves but we don't always do a good job and that’s exactly what this card represents. I chose it as my favorite without paying any attention to the keyword. It's just what I felt drawn to and clearly something I needed to see.

“We harshly judge ourselves and others for these strong emotions, but it is one of the main reasons we are here experiencing life on earth in human form.”

P.S. I have an article on why I always look at my favorites first in the member portal where I share loads of tips and tricks for reading tarot and oracle cards.

I’m also quite fond of Yew and Cherry Laurel. They feel like Christmas and I kind of wanted to associate this deck with Yule but chose Samhain instead but more on that in a bit. Continued below…

Purchase Deadly Apothecary Oracle

I avoided reviewing this deck for weeks because I didn’t like the artwork or at least, that’s what I told myself. Really, I think it was my shadow trying to resist something I really needed. I knew it made its way to me for a reason but I just wasn’t ready to face it yet.

This is a masterful deck and working with it so far has had me falling in love with it. This is why if you’re attracted to a deck, read the guidebook first if you can. Work with it even if you don’t want to. I didn’t even request this deck. Rockpool sent it to me and I didn’t want it when I first saw it but the universe always gives you what you need and I’m so grateful to have received this one.

It's not for the faint of heart or the “love and light” mystic. This is not a fluff deck. It's not a happy deck but isn’t unkind either. It isn’t even judgmental. If anything, it's an honest mirror and tool to bring awareness to ways you can do better and who doesn’t need that?

Season, Sign and Sabbat

I think of this deck as a winter deck but also very early spring during the night. The black background and the little touch of grey reminded me of fog, something I’m very familiar with in southern California. But I really feel like winter is where this deck belongs. The blacks, greens and reds feel spot on for the holidays and the art style in general reminds me a lot of christmas.

However, as much as I wanted to, I just couldn’t place it for Yule. It's Samhain and also Scorpio all day long. Poisonous plants are a Scorpio thing not to mention the intensity and even slight awkwardness of the deck. That all feels very aligned with Scorpio energy which of course corresponds to Samhain. It feels like a deep, dark, bump in the night sort of deck. It's almost like a scary movie. You want to watch but are also so terrified. You watch through your fingers and then by the end of the movie, you realize it was all just special effects and carefully placed sounds. Not scary at all and maybe you even learned something valuable. That’s what working with this deck feels like to me anyway.

I also chose Aquarius because this feels like a rebellious deck. Like this one feels like it's going to push you forward and get you out of your comfort zone. Aquarius and Scorpio are very similar in that way. I feel as though they both help you to transcend. Scorpio by making you face your demons and Aquarius by making you take your demons and use it for your benefit.

Who is this deck for?

I highly recommend this deck if you’re doing shadow work of any kind. I think this is a great deck when you’re ready to confront the behaviors that are holding you back. It really aligns with the type of therapy that I do (Internal Family Systems) so I would recommend it to someone who is doing similar work. Even things like Somatic Therapy could benefit from this deck as a companion.

I would not recommend it to someone who has a hard time accepting criticism. I don’t find this deck to be judgmental but it doesn’t pull any punches either. It will say plainly, you are jealous or have a superiority complex or holding onto trauma, etc. And if you are someone who doesn’t want to deal with that kind of thing, then you should probably stay away from this one.

Tarot Deck Companion

I’m going with an oldie but goodie for this one that you probably already have: The Wild Unknown. This deck is well over ten years old at this point but still a cult classic and the ink pen drawings feel like a solid match to the black backgrounds. I also feel like it won’t compete very much aesthetically speaking. But also, The Wild Unknown was pretty revolutionary at the time. Up until that point, most of the tarot decks pretty much followed the Rider-Waite symbolism whereas this one was completely different and unusual. So there is a rebellious quality about both decks that I felt matched quite well.

I also want to mention The Materia Prima Oracle. That was the first thing that came to mind when I was looking for a companion even though it isn't a tarot deck. I don’t use this deck very often, in fact, I hardly think of it at all but it came up front and center in connection with Deadly Apothecary. The Materia Prima oracle features the elements on the periodic table, many of which are poisonous. I don't know if that's what jogged my memory but looking through it, I felt like it could be best friends with the Deadly Apothecary Oracle quite easily.

I’d love to know your thoughts. Do you think these companions are a good match? Have another recommendation in mind? Comment below.

Thanks for reading all the way through. If you found this review to be helpful, informative or entertaining in any way, please be sure to leave a comment down below. It really helps me know what you’re enjoying so that I can provide more content based on what you love.

And of course, if there is something you’d like me to consider reviewing, please comment below or email me at hello@spiritelement.co