The Black Tarot Review: Haunting, Dark, & Enigmatic
The Basics
The Black Tarot is a 78-card Gothic abstract tarot deck by Victoria Iva and published by DaBrigh, sporting plain finish 350gsm Caidie brand paper, black edges, and a standard accompanying little white (or black — ba dum tss) book.
The deck features four suits — Wands, Cups, Spheres, and Swords — and a Rider-Waite-Smith foundation for its core meanings. Card backings feature a subtle black, non-reversible scale-like pattern that captures the strange, dream-like (or nightmare-like) energy of the deck.
The Good, The Great
Captivating, engaging artwork - Undoubtedly the core draw of the deck is the artwork. Iva’s art is so painstakingly detailed, gorgeous, and haunting that a part of me wishes it were on a large canvas rather than condensed to a deck (although I’m not complaining). Although the art style may be an acquired taste (each image is intense, dark, and haunting, regardless of a traditionally “good” card), those that prefer an abstract Gothic feel will appreciate Iva’s work entering their collection.
Little white book - Although the guidebook is not immensely detailed, the descriptions offer a basic RWS meaning, reversed and upright keywords, and most importantly, a brief description of what the card visibly shows. This brief description is enough to help you navigate the sometimes mystifying and highly abstract nature of Iva’s art, but without spoiling your own engagement and creative process in dissecting the artwork.
Sturdy cardstock - The box is a standard tuck box that will likely suffer wear and tear with time, but the cardstock itself will riffle shuffle with ease but likely hold up nicely against the test of time.
The Weak Spots?
Not beginner-friendly - While the guidebook features a brief description for each card, the artwork description is the most helpful part. The upright and reversed meanings, as well as the RWS-sourced meaning, are basic at best. Using the deck as a tool to learn tarot would likely prove to be an excessively difficult experience.
Bad news for fan spread & overhand shufflers - The matte finish cardstock makes overhand shuffling a difficult task as the cards stick together, same to be said for fanning out the cards. Although this is a minor gripe and not a dealbreaker for me, the cardstock finish may not be for everyone.
I Recommend If…
For intermediate to advanced readers well-versed in the Rider-Waite-Smith system, this is an easy recommendation if abstract and intensely Gothic art is up your alley. Although the target audience for this deck may very well be a little more niche, it does the niche phenomenally well! You can purchase The Black Tarot on DaBrigh’s website.
This deck was gifted by DaBrigh in exchange for an honest review.
