by Brian Froud & Jessica Macbeth

The Faeries Oracle was one of the very first oracle decks I purchased nearly 30 years ago.  It is, for me, unlike most decks in that it feels very much like a communication between myself and a sentient group of beings.  Whereas most decks, tarot and oracle alike, feel much more like a communication between myself and my subconscious mind.  Some of you will relate to that concept.  It is difficult to describe in a way that makes sense!

I do want to point out up front that this deck’s imagery is both innocent and primal – if naked bodies upset you, you will not appreciate many of the cards in the deck.  I do not find the art to be vulgar in any way – but I do respect that some people prefer to not see any naked imagery.  If it were just one or two cards, it might not be worth mentioning, but the world of faery is not bound by our human cultures and perceived ideas of nakedness.

This deck covers a lot of ground – from inner soul work to practical mundane life matters.  It can give you light-hearted flippant readings, and it can cut you to the bone with its brutal honesty.  If you approach it with a feeling of mutual respect, you will get valuable insights pretty much every time you do a reading.  Be forewarned it will deliver crushingly honest readings for others – so if your friend asks you to do a reading for them, you can expect some level of discomfort on their part.  You will get an answer for what you asked – most of the time.  And most of the time you will also get answers for the things you should have asked but are either ignorant of or are avoiding.

I do highly recommend this deck.  If you are simply a collector, the artwork in the deck is complex and beautiful.

 

a luxurious deck.  Not only are both the box and the cards gilded, but the collaged artwork is simply fabulous.  If you love classical art, you will likely love this deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guidebook not only includes descriptions and interpretations for all of the cards (like most decks do), but also has a robust section in the back which gives all of the art sources for each card.  So if you find yourself really drawn to an aspect of a card, you can look up the source material for deeper reflection if you so choose.

This decks uses wands, cups, coins, and swords for the minors.

Both the major and minor arcana are people-centric, but given the classical art focus you will find that it is not a diverse deck ethnically speaking.  If you prefer decks that depict people from across the globe, this is not the deck for you.  It does, however, do a good job of representing both male and female faces.

I feel this deck would be good for reflection and meditation studies, more so than a quick advice reading.  As such, I have yet to use it much.