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Title: Kate Forsyth’s Fairytale Oracle
Art by: Merle Hunt
Author: Kate Forsyth
Publisher: Rockpool Publishing
Number of cards: 44
Card size: 5 x 3.5 in
Box size: 6.5 x 5 x 2 in
Guidebook pages: 129
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy gifted by Rockpool Publishing
Absolute favorite card: Bloody Key
Other favorites: Magic Mirror, Glass Slipper, Wicked Witch, Ladder of Hair, Gingerbread House, The Kiss, True Name, Apple
Notable detail: much nicer box
Season: Spring and summer
Sabbat: Beltane but also Ostara and Litha
Sign: Taurus
Element: earth
Tarot Deck compliment:
Collective Pull: Rose

First Impressions

Right at the beginning, I felt a connection with this deck. Rockpool sent a list of upcoming releases and this one stood out to me immediately. Mostly because it feels nostalgic. It really reminds me of the first three Seasons of the Witch decks so it almost felt like one of my own projects. Plus I love fairytales and fantasy fiction. In fact, it's a dream of mine to write fantasy one day which may actually be coming true sooner than I imagined. That’s another thing: I don’t believe in coincidences at all. This deck arrived around the time I finally started to feel confident about writing fantasy fiction and shortly after, talks began to happen about potentially doing exactly that. This deck really arrived right on time and that by itself earns it a special place in my heart but of course, the deck is well done which makes me like it even more. So let’s dive in and be sure to check out all of the photos along the way and my gallery of photos at the bottom.

The Packaging

The packaging on this deck is SO nice. All of Rockpool’s decks are really nice but this one definitely stands out. In fact, I’m not too proud to say as a Rockpool artist, I’m feeling pretty jealous that my decks aren’t packaged like this! The box has a book fold with a nice platform inside, similar to what you would find with Llewellyn’s tarot decks. There’s a large red ribbon to pull the cards up and full color printing inside. What I love most about the box is the canvas texture. I’ve noticed Rockpool using this a lot more lately and it's a choice I fully support. The box also features nice matte metallic printing.

The cards have the same canvas texture and are printed in matte. I’ve been ranting and raving about how much I can’t stand gloss cards for well over a year now and I’m happy to see not just Rockpool but many publishers moving towards matte cards. I find they make shuffling so much easier which is definitely the case here because these cards shuffle like a dream. There isn’t any stickiness or need to peel apart each card when you first take them out of the box. They’re flexible and yet very firm. Like I said, this is for sure one of the nicest decks I’ve ever received from Rockpool.

The cards come with a paper band around them which doesn’t seem like a big deal but Rockpool matches their bands to each deck now rather than using the standard white and I really appreciate this. It's a small thing but little things like that add up and people take notice. They went the extra here by printing a continuous rose motif. They very clearly wanted this one to feel extra special.

The backs of the cards have a pretty pattern with filigree corners and a large round display of fruit and intricate vines all on a beige background. It really does look like a fairytale.

The Guidebook

I love this guidebook. For one it's a larger size than any of the other Rockpool guidebooks (again, feeling that little green monster) and full of goodies. You’ll find a good selection of spreads, an introduction with a fascinating story about Kate’s childhood and how fairytales became a part of her life, as well as a note on how to use the cards. But my favorite feature has to be the retold fairytales. The cards are broken up into sections, one section for each fairytale. For example, cards 1-4 reference Rapunzel while 25-28 represent Hansel and Gretel. And at the beginning of each section, the author briefly shares the fairytale and its history.

I think this is a really clever idea and a great way to add layers to the card’s meanings. Each card has a short mantra, a brief explanation of the light and shadow of the card called dark face and bright face in this deck, and explanation of the card and then the meaning. I have to admit, I don’t really care for decks that have two or three lines for the meaning and nothing else. Or if the language is so abstract or poetic, you’re left wondering what the card is really about. There’s almost no point in having a guidebook when it's done that way. But you don’t get that here. The author, who by the way has written more than 80 books, is very thoughtful and gives you just what you need to have an insightful reading.

*Ladder of Hair, Wicked Witch & Gingerbread House*

The Artwork

I really like the artwork. In fact, it reminds me a lot of the first three Seasons of the Witch decks: Samhain, Yule and Beltane. The style is quite similar so for me, it feels nostalgic. It's a colorful deck but it doesn’t seem over the top. The colors still feel muted and relaxed. If you’re new to my reviews, then I should tell you that I prefer softer or neutral toned decks which have a much more soothing effect on your nervous system. There’s something about working with calm colors that makes reading tarot and oracle cards all the more enjoyable. I keep daydreaming about taking this deck out on a Sunday afternoon picnic dressed in a pretty lace sundress with a beautiful hat. The artwork makes me feel romantic and feminine and gentle. I think it's because the overall style and tone have that soft, charming energy about it.

“This is the great gift of fairytales. They comfort us and give us hope that, if we are kind enough or brave enough or canny enough, we too can triumph.”

My absolute favorite card is the Bloody Key for two reasons. First, this image really reminds me of Seasons of the Witch. Specifically Wreath from Yule Oracle. The second reason is because this image reminds me of a romantasy series from one of my favorite authors: Sarah J. Maas called Throne of Glass. It specifically reminds of the first book in the series The Assassin's Blade where she meets the Pirate Lord. In fact, I had just finished rereading the series when I went through this deck so this image really stood out to me.

Probably my next favorite is Wicked Witch. This image looks sweet when you first look at it but then you notice the spider on her face, the skull hat she wears and the long claw like nails. I’m so captivated by her. She looks harmless enough as if she’s put a spell on you and then the blinders come off. Studying this card felt like a journey or an experience and that’s always a sign of a really talented artist. There’s so much to see and discover. It's not just this card either. Every card feels like a fairytale in its own way.

Purchase Fairytale Oracle

*With Tarot Companion - Fairytale Tarot*

Reading With this Deck

I found my initial readings to be quite accurate. All of the cards came together easily in a cohesive story and I felt like I understood the meanings with ease. And just like a fairytale, I felt like I got a hard push but wrapped in a gentle hug. Reading with this deck is like getting advice from a fairy godmother which is totally on brand. My readings felt like an experience and I really enjoy that. The cards seem to come together to tell a clever story, even though they were from different fairy tale sections. I’m quite pleased with this deck. I almost didn’t review it but glad I did. You can tell it's well thought out, well written and it's been a pleasure to work with.

Collective Pull

I drew Rose for you. Roses have a long history of representing beauty and pain. The head of the flower is soft, almost like velvet in brilliant shades of femininity. While the stems are rigid and laced with thorns. If you aren’t careful, you might find yourself with bloody fingers in your effort to enjoy the beauty of the flower. But sometimes a little pain is worth it. Indeed, most things that are worth it come along with their fair share of hardship. A goal requires hard work and the ability to overcome unforeseen challenges. But the achievement of a dream makes it all worthwhile. Likewise, you may have found your true love but that doesn’t mean you won’t ever fight or face an obstacle that might break your heart. And you’ll have to fight to reclaim that love. There’s so much more after the “happily ever after” and pulling this card is a reminder that joy and pain are a part of life you can’t avoid. Don’t get so lost in the fear of what could go wrong that you end up missing all of the things that will go right.

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

This deck is 100% a spring and summer deck. The colors are rich, the scenes are lush, and there are animals for days. It feels very bright right when you look at it. I am writing this review on the spring equinox and as I look out of my window, I can see how bright it is today as though the northern half of the earth is finally happy to see spring. It's sunny and warm. All this to say, I could see that same spring time energy in the deck.

I feel like this deck could work well for Ostara, Beltane and Litha but if I had to choose one, it would probably be Beltane. Perhaps more apt, the space between Beltane to Litha. This would be a beautiful deck to pull out on Beltane and work with through the summer solstice. I don’t usually offer pairings of two oracle decks but I could easily see this working as a pair with Seasons of the Witch: Beltane Oracle.

I have to go with earth for the element. It's a very earthy, lush deck that’s full of life. But you could easily associate this deck with all four of the elements as a whole. As for the zodiac sign, I’m feeling Taurus for this one. Taurus is an earth sign after all but it's also a very feminine and romantic sign. Sometimes I think Taurus’ live in the idea that life is a fairytale. You often hear this about Pisces but I think Taurus is just as likely to get caught up in an indulgent fantasy world.

Who is this deck for?

I think you’ll really enjoy this deck if you enjoy fiction at all and not just fairytales but any kind of story that gives you hope and encouragement to overcome your circumstances. That’s what stories are for: they teach us to believe that dreams can come true and that you can rise above any challenge. They make us believe in what’s possible and if you enjoy that feeling of feeling inspired and motivated, then I think you should give this deck a try. It doesn’t feel childish or like a Disney movie at all. In fact it feels quite mature. This whole deck was a really good idea and I’m glad it's been made. This is a great deck for a dreamer or for someone who loves to get lost in a fantasy world.

Tarot Deck Companion

I saw the Fairytale Tarot a few months ago and I was honestly on the fence about it until I got Fairytale Oracle. These are not by the same people but I do find they pair quite well. I’m a huge fan of Ghost and Spirits Tarot which is created by Lisa Hunt who also wrote Fairytale Tarot so I knew the deck would be amazing. And so far it is. I’ll be reviewing it soon so stay tuned for that.

Buy Fairytale Oracle

Thanks for reading all the way through. If you found this review to be helpful, informative or entertaining in any way, please be sure to leave a comment down below. It really helps me know what you’re enjoying so that I can provide more content based on what you love. In the meantime, please enjoy a variety of photos from this deck.

And of course, if there is something you’d like me to consider reviewing, please comment below or email me at hello@spiritelement.co