Deck review: Ukrainian Tarot

Discover the Tarot through the enchanting folklore, myth, and culture of Ukraine with this stunning deck and guidebook!

The Ukrainian Tarot was born from a deep reverence for Slavic spiritual heritage, a treasury of ancient wisdom waiting to be explored. The 78 cards feature images from Ukrainian legends, ceremonies, rituals, goddesses, and gods, ready to inspire and uplift. Within the guidebook, find approachable card meanings, and the Ukrainian story and symbolism behind each image.

The theme of the deck is based on the legendary Flower of the Magic Fern. This magic flower is said to bloom only once a year, on the shortest night of the year, bringing good fortune to whoever finds it. As the legend goes, this flower can be found only in the darkest of forests, and only if your heart and intentions are pure.

Just as the Magic Fern shines during times of darkness, The Ukrainian Tarot was created not just to celebrate and preserve Ukrainian traditions but also to serve as a guiding light for humanity. Its intention is to inspire readers to expand in love and peace, welcoming illumination to their hearts and minds as they journey through the cards.

You can see the complete flickthrough on tiktok or youtube. I posted two spreads using the deck, the interview spread and the hearth and path spread.

---

📌 Specs & Quick Summary
Deck Name: Ukrainian Tarot

Publisher: REDFeather

Deck Size: Standard 78 card deck

Card Dimensions: 4.8 inch by 3.3

Card Stock: Sturdy, matt finish

Guidebook: 192 pages, upright and reversed meanings, spreads

Spreads Included:

• Celtic Cross

• 3 card spread

• Medicine Wheel Spread

Artwork Style: Based on Ukrainian folklore, very clean and realistic looking

Special Features: Cards have gilded edges.

Skill Level: Better suited to intermediate readers; beginners may find the symbolism challenging without prior folklore knowledge.

Great For: Folklorists, art collectors, practitioners looking to deepen their understanding

Quick Verdict: A beautifully illustrated tarot deck deeply rooted in Ukrainian folklore, best approached slowly and with curiosity, where its symbolism and stories can unfold over time.

I. First Impressions

Unboxing Experience: The deck is presented in a box about the size of a hardback book. Inside, the cards sit in two wells under the guidebook.
Artwork Style: The cards use traditional Ukrainian motifs, folklore and history. Several cards are straight forward images of Ukrainian historical figures, landscapes or buildings. The style is realistic and colourful.

II. The Cards

The cards feature this, reversible back image:

Major Arcana: The Major Arcana have Strength at 8 and Justice at 11. Cards have their name written across the bottom, and their number, in Arabic, inside a golden circle somewhere in the design. A thin gold frame contains the image.

Minor Arcana: Minor Arcana are fully illustrated. The colours shine out from the cards.

Card Stock and Size: These cards are just on the edge of too big for my hands, but they shuffled perfectly on the width rather than the length. They didn't catch or jar and there's no sign of chipping or tearing after being used fairly intensively for a couple of weeks.

III. The Guidebook

Writing Style and Readability: The writing is clear and easy to understand. It includes a basic guide to tarot, tips on how to do readings and a little history of Ukraine.
Card Meanings: Each card has two pages, with an image of the card, upright and reversed meanings, a journalling prompt, space for your own notes, and a section explaining how it ties in to Ukrainian folklore or history. That was the bit I spent the most time on! The meanings don't always match RWS, so you'll need to keep the book close to hand at least at first.

Spreads and Techniques: The book has three spreads, listed above. Medicine Wheel seems to have been written for the deck, but the other two are standards.

IV. In Use

Intuition and Connection
Reading with the Ukrainian Tarot is a slower, more contemplative experience than with many modern decks. While the imagery is immediately striking, much of its depth comes from folklore, history, and cultural symbolism that isn’t universally familiar. As someone without a strong background in Ukrainian folklore, I found that my connection to the deck developed gradually rather than instantly. The cards often invited research, reflection, and rereading, which made each pull feel more like a conversation than a quick intuitive flash.

Clarity of Readings
Once time was taken to sit with the imagery and consult the guidebook, the readings became thoughtful and layered. Cards such as the Tower (Khotyn Fortress) or the 6 of Fire (Viburnum Berries) carried clear emotional and narrative weight, but not always in the way I would expect from a Rider–Waite–Smith–based deck. Rather than sharp, decisive messages, this deck tends to offer context, story, and perspective, making it particularly suited to reflective or exploratory readings.

Suitability for Different Skill Levels
This deck may feel challenging for beginners looking for immediate, intuitive clarity. However, for intermediate or experienced readers - especially those interested in folklore, myth, or culturally specific tarot - the Ukrainian Tarot offers rich rewards. It shines when approached slowly, with curiosity and a willingness to learn, rather than rushed through as a daily, high-speed reading deck.

V. Overall Impression

Strengths and Weaknesses
The greatest strength of the Ukrainian Tarot lies in its deep cultural grounding. Every card feels intentionally chosen, with imagery drawn from Ukrainian folklore, history, and tradition rather than generic symbolism. This gives the deck a strong, coherent voice and makes it especially compelling for readers who enjoy learning the stories behind their cards.

That same specificity can also be its challenge. Readers who are less familiar with Ukrainian folklore may find that the deck requires more time, study, and reflection before it fully opens up. The connection here is thoughtful rather than immediate, and it rewards patience over speed.

Value for Money
In terms of production quality, artwork, and the care taken with both imagery and guidebook, this deck offers good value. The cards are visually rich, the themes are consistently applied, and the guidebook provides helpful context rather than minimal keywords. For readers interested in culturally rooted tarot decks, the investment feels well justified.

Recommendation
I would recommend the Ukrainian Tarot to intermediate and advanced readers, particularly those drawn to folklore-based decks or interested in Slavic myth and cultural symbolism. It’s a deck best suited to slow, intentional readings, study sessions, or reflective spreads rather than quick daily pulls. For the right reader, it has the potential to become a deeply meaningful and educational tool.

Final Thoughts

The Ukrainian Tarot is a deck I respect deeply, even if it isn’t one I connected with immediately. Its strength lies in its storytelling - in the way each card draws from folklore, history, and cultural memory rather than relying solely on familiar tarot shorthand. Reading with it felt less like quick divination and more like being invited into a body of stories that deserve time and attention.

I’m especially interested in revisiting this deck in the future alongside additional resources. Schiffer is due to publish a book of Ukrainian folklore next year, and I can easily imagine that kind of wider cultural context enriching the experience of working with this tarot. With deeper familiarity, I suspect many of these cards would open up in new and unexpected ways.

This isn’t a deck that demands to be loved instantly - instead, it asks to be learned. For readers who enjoy slow discovery, cultural exploration, and tarot as a bridge between story and symbol, the Ukrainian Tarot offers a thoughtful and rewarding journey.

(image of a card)