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Title: The Alchemist’s Oracle
Creator: Zoe Sadler
Publisher: Blue Angel Publishing
Number of cards: 48
Card size: 5.5 x 3.25 in
Box size: 6.5 x 5 x 1.5 in approx
Guidebook pages: 176
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy provided by Llewellyn Publishing
Absolute favorite card: Storm in a bottle
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved) Tincture of toad, fairy liquid, wolfsbane, poison ivy, spirit, dandelion root, bone dust, mandrake root, deadly nightshade
Notable detail: Printing inside of the box
Season: Autumn/winter
Sabbat: Samhain
Sign: Virgo
Element: All
Deck compliment: Divine Feminine Tarot
Collective Pull: A wish

Add to your altar

First Impressions

To be honest with you, I’m annoyed with myself for taking so long to review this deck. Llewellyn (they distribute in the US for Blue Angel which is an Australian company) sent it to me last year so it's been on my list for a while. But then life happened and I stopped doing reviews for a bit. Unfortunately, this one then sat for a time and I really wish it hadn’t.

I kind of assumed I wasn’t going to like it. I looked it up online because I didn’t want to open it and because I just didn’t feel that connected to it. Which is why I do these reviews because sometimes what’s presented online isn’t enough to make an informed decision. Publishers try to put their best foot forward but frankly, there’s only so much you can show on an Amazon listing—and what I saw didn’t get me excited. However, when I finally opened it, I was in love for many reasons, so let's just have a deep look at The Alchemist’s Oracle and you can decide for yourself if this is one to add to your altar.

The Packaging

To clarify, Llewellyn sent me the review copy but it's through Blue Angel who always has nice boxes. In fact, they’ve had the best boxes long before anyone else and I’ve always appreciated that. It’s a sturdy two piece box and in traditional Blue Angel fashion, there’s space inside to house extra things like crystals, herbs, a pendulum or other charms. To this day, these are the only boxes that allow me to fit charms inside and I always store these with a crystal or two, a sprinkle of herbs and some kind of token. I love it when I haven’t used one of their decks in a while, I open it and I see the crystals I’ve left inside. It's like a little surprise because I can’t ever remember which crystal I left. Perhaps it's silly but I enjoy that experience.

The standout detail here is the printing inside of the box which is unusual for Blue Angel. 99% of the time or at least out of the ones I have, it's just a solid color but this has a full on print of apothecary bottles and I love that. It matches the pattern on the back of the cards as well and really makes this deck feel extra special, especially because this isn’t a Blue Angel thing to do.

The card size is also a departure for Blue Angel who typically have those really large cards that are quite challenging for me to hold. But these are much slimmer making them so much easier to shuffle. They’re also matte, which is so nice. I notice a lot of publishers are going with matte cards more and more frequently. Sometimes gloss still looks good but I think 99% of the time, matte is the better choice so I'm happy to see that here.

The one thing I wish, oh how I wish would’ve been included is foil on the card faces. There’s a little outline that I believe is trying to mimic the color shift of foil instead of actually having foil which is a missed opportunity—especially in an alchemy deck. That would’ve been such a key and unique detail that would’ve made these cards spectacular. I’m really disappointed it wasn’t there, especially because the cards aren’t gilded either. Oh Blue Angel, please, please gild your cards.

And just to let you all know that this isn’t always the creator’s choice. The publishers make most of the decisions and sometimes us creators are left with choices that we really don’t like but have to go along with. I don’t know who made this decision—perhaps no one thought to include it—but it may not have been the creator’s decision. I can’t stress this enough, especially to those of you who are hoping to pub

The Guidebook

Blue Angel has always had nice guidebooks too. They weren’t full color before but this one is and it's quite nice. They have always had really thick guidebooks. I mean they really give their authors space to write a lot—sometimes too much.

Inside, you will find a lot of information which I’m happy to see. I’m always a bit annoyed when the front of the guidebook has an intro and then how to do a daily pull and that’s it. Especially if the intro doesn’t say much other than something like “an oracle deck is to answer your most burning questions”…the end! People are relying on these books to grow in their practice so when they’re limited, I admittedly feel some kind of way.

But you don’t have to worry about that here because there’s lots of information to be had. You get:

a note about the creator’s journey
explanation on common alchemical materials
an explanation about the background colors of the cards (hmm, what a delicious attention to detail)
four spreads and,
honestly so much more that I haven’t mentioned.

It is like a little mini intro guide to alchemy. Trust me, you’ll want to read the guidebook through this one.

For the cards, you get the element associated with the card’s meaning and not just fire, earth and so on. You have mercury, gold, salt, iron and more. You get an affirmation, the card’s meaning, and then some kind of mini story or description of the image. I’m not really sure what to make of their purpose but they are so fun to read. It’s like a little book of short stories.

Theme

Some themes are very clear in decks and that is the case here. The title explains exactly what you get: a deck that’s focused on alchemy. And all of the subsequent details support this theme. You have the potion bottles, the elemental symbols, all of the information in the guidebook. All of it to promote the idea that one thing can transform into something else. Here, cards have been adapted to show you that your spiritual practice is a form of alchemy which means you have the power to transform your life. Yes, I know that’s cliche but it's also true.

*Card backs with Sunbeams and Liquid Moonlight*

The Artwork

The artwork appears simple but it's not. There’s a lot of layers happening and then the potion bottles themselves are quite detailed. Don’t make the mistake I did, which is that these are basic illustrations on basic backgrounds. That’s why I didn’t feel connected to it at first. I don’t really like black and white, hyper minimal decks and on the surface, this appears to be exactly that. But that’s not the case. Yes, it is minimal and yes it is black and white but everything is intentional and the bottles offer so much symbolism.

Just a reminder that there is some language in the book, explaining why some cards are black and some are white. Be sure to read this part because it's more of a guideline and less of a rule. Some of the choices might surprise you.

“By choosing a card, you are metaphorically uncorking a magic potion to drink in the meaning of what the card contains.”

My favorite card is Storm in a Bottle mostly because it reminds me of the saying “a tempest in a teacup.” I have a thing for vintage sayings and that one has always been one of my favorites. The bottle reminds me of a snowglobe and just having those two associations made me so intrigued. And the meaning wasn’t at all what I expected which made me love it even more.

Some of my other favorites are Spirit which is just so sweet—I love a sweet ghost image. (check out Laura’s Beating Art for the sweetest ghost art). Tincture of toad is fun and whimsical, so is Fairy liquid, and Wolfsbane. Each bottle has this whole little scene or story that makes this deck fun and almost comical in a really good way. It's kind of like a little witchy cartoon and I find it to be quite endearing while also being quite moving and serious.

Own The Alchemist's Oracle

*With companion deck - Divine Feminine Tarot*

Reading With this Deck

There’s no doubt the card meanings are all geared towards some kind of transformation—it is an alchemy deck after all. I have found each card that I’ve drawn has asked me to shift from one thing to another. Which, I don’t mind and I’m certainly guilty of peddling this myself for years. But lately—and this is really more me thinking out loud—I’ve been thinking about how the word “transformation” is so overused in the spiritual community. For one, it paints a picture of this dramatic change from lead to gold. You know what I mean—you’ll work a spell and suddenly lose ten pounds or someone knocks at your door and it's your soulmate or you’ll get that call that will change your life. When, transformation just doesn’t happen that way. It’s often a very long, very slow process of breaking things down and building yourself back up AND being ok with probably having to start this process over again many times.

All this to say, yes, the reading was accurate and I know exactly what my cards are referring to. So in that sense, these cards are super spot on and you will absolutely get something out of reading with these cards for sure. But there’s a big difference between knowing something and actually being able to do it. To be fair, this is an industry wide problem more than it is this deck’s problem. Trust me when I say, I need to shift my own decks and the way that I write too if I’m to practice what I’m preaching here.

I find the theme to be refreshingly original but the cards say much of the same things: change your perspective, weather the storm, go within, enjoy life. Is this a solid deck? Yes, absolutely. If you’re a beginner to spirituality then these same themes are going to set you up. But if you’ve been at this for a long time, expect to see similar ideas or get results, just in new packaging.

Now let me say that isn’t always a bad thing. Everyone receives information differently so maybe this deck is the one that makes an old concept land for you in a new way. There’s something to be said for the value of repetitive ideas presented in new ways. This is not a critique on this deck per se. It’s really just a call to evolve tarot and oracle readings in general.

Collective Pull

I drew A Wish for you. This wish, this star really appears to remind you that a fairy godmother isn’t needed for your dreams to come true. You don’t have to rely on some magical, spiritual intervention to begin moving towards your heart’s deep desire. You can set an intention for your own magical journey. One where you decide when to say yes or no, and when something feels in alignment with you. A wish is simply a goal put into action. Make a plan and approach this plan with reverence, hope and adaptability and watch as your dreams come true. Not because someone handed it to you on a platter. If they did, it wouldn’t be quite as meaningful as you rising to the occasion. No, this is about you realizing you don’t need a white knight to save you or a fairy to see your potential. You just need to see your own strength.

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose autumn and winter for the season. I think this deck could work equally well for both and perhaps as a nice companion to have throughout the darker months of the year. I associate potion making with Samhain hence autumn but I also kind of associate it with winter. Afterall, that is the season when sickness runs especially rampant and you might need a potion or two.

I went with Samhain for the sabbat, again because I associate it with potion making and I could also see this working with Samhain’s zodiac companion, Scorpio. The reason I went with Virgo instead of Scorpio is because alchemy is much more about purity which is a Virgo concept. However, there is an obvious connection to Scorpio being the sign of transformation and transmutation but in truth, I have often found Scorpio and Virgo to be very similar anyway.

Finally, I went with all of the elements here. It just wouldn’t be fair to choose one when alchemy utilizes them all.

Who is this deck for?

If you’re a potion maker like I am then I think you’ll enjoy this deck. There are no real potions to make but it's a fun take on it anyway. Also, if you’re looking for something different then I think this is a winner. I truly feel like this is a rather unusual concept in a sea of sameness in the oracle and tarot industry. It isn’t the same old herbal deck or the same old potions deck. So take a chance on this one… I think you might like it.

Deck Companion

I was having a lot of trouble finding a companion for this deck but recently, I was sent an advanced copy of Arcana Academy (I’m obsessed btw) and the cover art was done by a tarot artist named Cocorrina. It reminded me of her tarot decks and I realized, I had a copy of the black and white edition of Divine Feminine Tarot. As soon as it dropped into my head, I knew it would be a perfect match and it was. I’m super happy with how these two pair so well together.

It doesn’t look like she’s selling it at the moment but there is a not on her site that it’s coming back soon. So definitely keep up with her if you’re interested in getting this deck. There’s a black and gold edition as well.

Purchase Divine Feminine Tarot

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