The Storyteller's Tarot by David DePasquale

The Storyteller's Tarot combines traditional tarot interpretations with stories, myths, and folktales from around the world. The 78-card deck features bold, animation-inspired artwork to depict the diverse cast of characters, animals, and deities that have been passed down through the ages. Connecting the insight of tarot with the power of storytelling traditions, The Storyteller’s Tarot serves as a beautiful reminder of the ways humanity can connect, communicate, and come together—despite the limits of space and time.

You can see the unboxing on Tiktok or youtube and the flickthrough on Tiktok or youtube. I also did two spreads you can see online, an interview spread and the Choose your own Adventure spread designed for it.

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I. First Impressions

The box is lovely and bright, featuring artwork from the Star card. When you lift off the lid, there's more artwork around the sides of the lower box, and there's a lovely quote on the inside of the lid. There's no well, the box is sized to fit the cards exactly, with the book the same size as well.  

Minors are themed in this deck, with each having a specific background colour. It makes it easy to see which suit you're dealing with. Majors are more colourful, with full backgrounds for each image. The myths are drawn from all over the world, which is lovely to see.

II. The Cards

I love myths and legends and the first thing I did when I got this deck was to look through the cards, without referring to the book, to see how many I could recognise. (About two thirds!) The themes in the Minor Arcana helped, to be fair.

The cards have this reversible back image:

Major Arcana: Drawn from various myths around the world, these are bright and colourful. Strength is at 8 and Justice at 11. We have a few renamed cards; The Mage for the Magician, the Wisdom King for the Hierophant, the Vehicle for the Chariot and Vice for the Devil. Cards have both their name and their number, in Roman numerals, printed at the bottom of the card.

Minor Arcana: The Minor suits have been renamed in this deck to better reflect the mythic quality. Wands have become Scepters, represented by constellations - mostly, but not all, star signs, with a dark background. Wands are Hearts, represented by magical receptacles, with a yellow background. Swords have become Spikes, represented by legendary creatures, with a gray background. And Pentacles, as in several decks, have become Coins, represented by the animals of the Chinese zodiac, on a lucky red background. These images don't match the usual RWS images.

Card Stock and Size: These are a little larger than the average tarot size, at about 3 by 5. This is just about small enough for me to shuffle, but I have quite small hands, so others may find it easier. I generally shuffle on the narrow end instead of the wide end as I find it easier. The cards are matte, nice to hold, and so far there's no chipping or damage from my use of them. They shuffle easily without sticking or clinging.

III. The Guidebook

Writing Style and Readability: David has a simple, easy to follow style, without getting into the astrology or more complicated meanings that some decks use. The most complicated he gets is saying "If you have a lot of (suit) cards in a reading it might mean (meaning)". He does mention reversals but is clear that using them or not is a personal choice.

Card Meanings: Each card gets two pages. There's an explanation of the myth chosen for the card, keywords, and upright and reversed meanings. Majors also have a quote from the myth or a related work. The meanings are simple and easy to follow.

Spreads and Techniques: The book includes three spreads, a Past Present Future, a seven card Choose your own Adventure and a 15 card Hero's Journey spread. It doesn't include interpretations, but the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

IV. In Use

I found this deck was quite clear, but didn't dig too deeply on any topic. Great for a card of the day or quick check in, but, for me, not the deck I'd consult on deeper matters. The spreads I used worked well and were easy to follow.

As these cards are mostly not RWS, I'm not sure this would be the best deck for beginners to use. It is gorgeous though, so for anyone looking to deepen their practise, or who enjoys art cards, this is a great pick.

V. Overall Impression

Strengths:

• Beautiful artwork
• Accurate readings

Weaknesses:

• It doesn't follow RWS so may be tricky for beginners

Challenges for Beginners: Divergence from the RWS System

One thing to keep in mind if considering The Storyteller’s Tarot is its departure from the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) system, which is the most widely recognized and used tarot framework. For those unfamiliar, the RWS system, developed in 1909 by Arthur Edward Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith, is known for its rich symbolism and easily recognizable imagery; the cards represent their meanings in a very clear, easy to follow way. Most introductory tarot guides and courses use the RWS deck as a teaching tool, which has led to it becoming the basic system for many readers.

The Storyteller’s Tarot, while beautifully crafted and steeped in mythological storytelling, reimagines the traditional suits and archetypes, which can present challenges for beginners:

1. Renamed Suits and Majors:

• The traditional suits—Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles—have been reinterpreted as Scepters, Hearts, Spikes, and Coins. These changes align with the mythic themes of the deck but might be confusing for those who are just starting and still learning the basic associations of the original suits.
• Similarly, some Major Arcana cards have been renamed (e.g., The Magician is now The Mage, and The Hierophant is The Wisdom King). These new titles might require beginners to spend extra time correlating these cards with their traditional counterparts, which could slow down the learning process.

1. Unique Imagery:

   • The imagery in The Storyteller’s Tarot is inspired by global myths and legends, which means it doesn’t always follow the traditional RWS visual cues. For instance, a beginner might struggle to immediately grasp the meaning of a card like The Mage if they’re used to the more familiar image of The Magician holding a wand. This could make it harder to rely on intuition alone when interpreting the cards, as the symbols may not be as immediately recognizable.

2. Learning Curve:

   • For someone who is new to tarot, this deck might require a bit more study and adaptation. Beginners may need to refer to the guidebook frequently to understand the nuances of each card, especially since the deck’s interpretations are closely tied to specific myths. While this can be a rich learning experience, it may also be overwhelming for someone who is still mastering the basics.

Tips for Beginners Using The Storyteller’s Tarot

Despite these challenges, beginners who are drawn to this deck’s artwork and mythological focus can still find it a rewarding tool with a few strategies:

• Use the Guidebook: The guidebook is essential for navigating the myths and renamed suits. Take your time to read through each card’s meaning and story. This not only helps with understanding the deck but also enhances your knowledge of global folklore.

• Supplement with RWS Resources: Consider pairing this deck with a traditional RWS deck as you learn. This allows you to compare and contrast the imagery and meanings, which can deepen your understanding of both systems.

• Focus on Intuition: While the imagery is different, tarot reading is also about intuition. Spend time with each card, noting what feelings, thoughts, or stories it evokes for you personally. Over time, you may find that your interpretations flow more naturally, even with the deck’s unique symbols.

• Start with Simple Spreads: Begin with one-card or three-card spreads to familiarize yourself with how the deck communicates. This can help build confidence before moving on to more complex readings.

Final Thoughts

I've really enjoyed using this deck, learning about the stories that connect us as humans. It's a wonderful addition to my collection and I look forward to using it more in future. If you're interested in myths, beautiful artwork, or want to challenge yourself with a more complex deck, this is definitely one to consider.