Review by Terri Clement
Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy
Published by US Games Systems, Inc., www.usgamesinc.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-57281-662-6
ISBN-10: 1-57281-662-7
Whimsical and fanciful creatures from Paulina Cassidy’s world embody this fun and quirky Tarot. Joie de Vivre is French for “joy of living.” The deck is designed to be light and playful with a focus on joy.
This deck is filled with many imaginative creatures such as a lion with a mer-body. There are many that are recognizable as well, such as wise owls, playful sea-horses, regal peacocks and soft bunnies.
The deck is factory sealed in plastic and comes in a standard card board box. It comes with a Little White Book. The LWB is 59 pages and includes a very short introduction, keywords, and interpretations for both upright and reversed meanings for each of the cards. The LWB also includes a 6-card spread called “Spreading the Joy.” A couple of the pages in the copy that arrived with this deck are cut a little close and the top line is partially cut off, but legible.
The deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith styling. The Major Arcana carry the traditional names and are numbered with Roman Numerals in the bottom border. Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. The suits are Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins. The Courts are Page, Knight, Queen and King. The suits are titled in the bottom border.
The card backs are reversible and done in yellow and orange hues with vines and artistic waves. The back border is 1/8” all the way around. The card front border is 1/8” on the top and sides, the bottom border is 7/16” to accommodate the titles.
The card stock is flexible, glossy and very slick. Even though individually the cards are flexible, the deck itself is a bit stiff, but should break in well with use. The cards fan brilliantly, but like to slide around a bit when stacked. The deck measures 2 ¾” wide x 4 ¾” tall.
The Chariot is an adorable rider named Madam Chariotte perched in a snail shell that is being pulled by two sea-horses, one is shades of blues and greens, while the other is oranges and pinks, their names are Fire and Ice.
The LWB says, “By managing the reins of your mind and maintaining your will, you harness the powers to stay on course. With courage and focus as your driving force, you can successfully overcome obstacles in your journey toward victory.”
The Moon features a young male figure with tree like hair and wings, named Phantasm sitting on a tree limb, playing the violin. He is joined there by 3 owl friends named Daze, Haze and Maze who are keepers of vivid dreams. There is a full moon and stars in the sky. A crab is making its way up the tree.
The LWB says, “Listen carefully to your inner wisdom. It will help interpret veiled messages from the unconscious and will shine light on higher levels of understanding. Journey into your soul and unearth your anxieties and fears; release them so that they no longer haunt you.”
Fans of The Paulina, also by Paulina Cassidy, and the Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law will find Joie de Vivre Tarot a nice addition to their collection. Joie de Vivre Tarot would make a great deck for the young and young at heart. It could easily be used by the novice through the professional. This deck would also make a great brainstorming tool for creative and fantasy writers.