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By: Julia Jeffrey
Publisher: Llewellyn Publishing
Number of cards: 78
Card size: 4.75 (just under) in x 2.75 in
Box size: 8.25 x 5.5 x 2 in
Guidebook pages: 202
Purchased or gifted?: Publicity copy gifted from Llewellyn Publishing

Absolute favorite card: Ten of Skies
My favorite cards: Ancient starlight, spinner of threads, the initiation, the lovers, seven of stones, three of skies, king of stones, the tradition, the land, ten of waters, witch of stones, nine of trees, witch of stones, the hermit, and too many others to count.
Season: winter, early spring
Sabbat: Beltane
Sign: Pisces
Oracle Deck compliment: Woodland Wardens Oracle

First Impressions: I am absolutely blown away by this deck. It’s another one that I was on the fence about. A lot of these decks are gifts from the publishers so I’m reviewing them in a catalog without much detail to go on. And at first, I was attracted to it but not sure about it. But I am so glad I requested it because its really just so beautiful. I must’ve went through the deck five or six times when I first opened it because I was so taken with the artwork and felt instantly connected with it.

As always, let’s explore the packaging first. The box is lovely and very similar to other Llewellyn tarot decks. It’s exactly like the box from Yuletide tarot and Tarot of the Vampires, if you’re familiar with those. Which means it’s nice and sturdy, has a magnetic closure, and a nice space to house the decks and full color guidebook. If there’s one thing I could complain about when it comes to Llewellyn’s packaging, it would be the lack of gilding. I know I go on about this in a lot of reviews but as a deck creator, I really feel like gilding matters. It represents going the extra mile for your customers so I’m a little bummed Llewellyn hasn’t made more of an effort in this area. But apart from that, the packaging is truly a treat.

The guidebook is lush and yummy. The cards are based on the Rider-Waite-Smith system but I would say loosely based. It has its own voice that would suffer greatly if you tried to box it into the RWS narrative. A great example is the three of skies which would traditionally be the three of swords. Rather than focusing on betrayal by others, I felt Julia’s interpretation is more about the ways you might betray yourself when you fail to speak your truth. It’s similar to RWS but not quite. This interpretation feels more empowering and dare I say, uplifting. It's a truly unique experience, reading with this deck and I’m really enjoying it. In fact, it has instantly earned a place in my top favorite decks of all time (perhaps my favorite tarot of all time??) and is currently residing on my tarot desk as permanent fixture.

The guidebook has a wealth of information aside from some pretty stellar interpretations. There’s a nice summary on the history of tarot, a good selection of spreads and a variety of ways to use your cards beyond just tarot readings. There’s also a pretty good summary about the structure of tarot. While I think it would be a disservice to read this deck like you would RWS, there is a nice walkthrough of RWS tarot reading on page seven. Julia talks about her Scottish heritage as the influence for this deck and how she relates it to a more traditional deck as well as the different suits and how numbers play into meanings.

Perhaps what I loved most about the book though is her mention of having “no witchcraft pedigree whatsoever.” She goes on to talk about how she has no training or even any real experience in witchcraft. She even says she calls herself a witch but in a playful way and that using the term witch is “complicated” for her. I really appreciated her saying these things. Not because I have any problems with witchcraft, of this we know is not true. But because using that word is complicated for me a lot of times too. I have absolutely no problem being labeled a witch but it isn’t a true expression of what I believe myself to be. Let me know if you want to know more about this in another post. For now, I love how people are allowing themselves to be what they are, even though it doesn’t fit neatly into a box. She made a very witchy deck but it’s more about her heritage than exactly being a witch. I guess what I’m saying is it felt honest and really resonated with me.

The card stock is on the thinner side but as I’ve said before, I don’t mind that. They shuffle quite well but you may get a bend or two. The backs of the cards are beautiful, featuring a pink monochromatic image of what I believe to be wild thistles, the national flower of Scotland. The author is from Scotland and it’s definitely a thistle of some kind.

Purchase Witch Sister Tarot

Which brings me to the artwork. I wanted to save this for last because there is just so much I want to talk about. I find new favorite cards every time I pick this deck up. At first it was the Land, then the Tradition, then the king of stones, then the ten of skies and I could go on forever about this. The artwork is just so good. I get badass crone witch energy. I get wise druid energy. I get inquisitive, spiritually connected child energy and deeply rooted animal and plant energy. There is just so much about this deck that feels grounded and powerful and unlike anything I have ever seen.

The Land (the world), for example, feels so powerful to me. This woman is weathered and you truly get the sense she is fulfilled. The interpretation describes her as the personification of Mother Earth; not as a younger woman but as someone who has truly lived over many lifetimes. I don’t think I can view the concept of Mother Earth the same ever again. I feel like I will always want her to be this beautiful crone from here on out, just because of this card.

Another card that I love is the ten of skies (traditional ten of swords). The ten cards are all crones by the way. And like the three of skies, the interpretation of this card is much more empowering than the traditional meaning. But the image is just so powerful. Her hair and clothing looks like it’s made of raven feathers. She appears fierce or maybe just determined. And even though there isn’t much happening in the background, you truly get the sense that she is the sky and the wind personified.

I don’t know where Julia channeled this artwork but wow, just wow. I could probably write an individual essay about my love for each and every card but I’ll save you and stop it here. I’m sure you can tell by now that I love this deck and I think you will truly be missing out if you don’t get this one. Five out five!

Season, Sign and Sabbat

There’s a lot of crone imagery in this deck and even the images of younger people still have a mature energy to it. The people in this deck feel like they have truly lived and I really just pick up sage, crone energy throughout the whole thing. So I have assigned it with the season of winter. In addition to that, the colors are earthy and muted but still feel luscious. It reminded me of early spring and I think even into Beltane would be a great time to work with this deck. In fact, I’m pretty sure I will be pairing Witch Sister with Seasons of the Witch: Beltane Oracle.

I chose Pisces for the zodiac sign but my original choice was Capricorn because of the grounded, crone energy. And to be honest, I would probably pull this deck out right at the start of Capricorn season and use it through to Litha. But I ended up settling on Pisces because I imagine the figures in this deck are very connected to the earth and the cosmos and all living things. That’s a very Pisces thing; to be in the world but really more in tune with the more subtle world. Almost as if you’re existing in another space and time.

Who is this deck for?

This deck is for you if you want a grounded deck with unique interpretations. It’s going to be a study deck for me. One that I am going to take the time to study each and every card. I feel this deck deserves someone who will have deep respect for it and won’t be in a rush when you use it. I don’t think you have to be a witch to enjoy it. The author herself has not truly claimed that as her label. I think this deck goes beyond witchery. It’s more about being connected to the earth in a way that has absolutely nothing to do with how you label your practice. If you don’t exactly like witchcraft but love this deck, then please do yourself a favor and get it.

Oracle Deck Companion

I’m still on the fence about a companion deck. I do want to pair it with Seasons of the Witch: Beltane or Litha but I need to play with it more first. I really want to study it and understand it fully before making a pair. To me, this is an Elder deck. One that is deserving of the same respect one would treat an Elder which means, there’s no need to rush. Rather, I need to stop and let its wisdom unfold in its own time. I hope Julia makes an oracle deck to match it. That would make me so very happy. I’ll update this post when I find a deck that matches its energy.

Updated
I ended up pairing Witch Sister Tarot with Woodland Wardens Oracle. That was my first thought but I just couldn’t settle on it until I saw them together. But I just took some photos and I absolutely believe they are a great match, done by two amazing artists. Be sure to check out how they play together below.

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