I know I said I wouldn’t get another deck this year, but I saw a good deal on the Wild Unknown Tarot… so here’s my review.
Completely blown away! The unboxing alone was an experience - it comes in this surprisingly large box with beautiful hand-drawn designs, and when you open it, there’s this sweet message: “May you always be on the Inner Quest.” Small touches like this are nice. They don’t change your readings, but it’s usually a sign that someone has really put care into the deck and not just tried to cash in.
The cards come in their own ribbon-secured box with another message about finding “no wrongs or rights, only mirrors for reflection.” The artwork is absolutely stunning. Easily one of my favorite decks. Pen and watercolor style with these dramatic contrasts between light and dark. The cards are a bit thinner than premium decks (more like playing cards) and stick together at first, but after breaking them in, they shuffle beautifully.
The matte finish with slight gloss is perfect, and while I was worried about durability, they seem to hold up well.
I know art style is very subjective (especially in a deck), but even if this isn’t your usual style, it’s one I think everyone can work with. If you vibe with it (like I do), then it’s just a huge bonus. I think I’ll be adding it to the popular Tarot decks as my #1 pick.
The deck has a lot of personality. A chaotic, feisty energy - cards literally jump out when shuffling like they’re bursting with messages. When I asked too many questions about the same situation, the cards started scattering from my hands aggressively as if telling me to shut up and move on. It matches my energy perfectly and feels incredibly easy to read from the first shuffle. The deck uses all nature imagery instead of human figures, and some of the interpretations are brilliant: The Hanged Man is a bat (because bats have to hang before they can fly!), the Three of Swords shows swords bound together with rope instead of stabbing a heart (representing emotional entanglement), and the Eight of Pentacles features a spider in its web for craftsmanship. The court cards are renamed too - Daughter, Son, Mother, Father instead of Page, Knight, Queen, King - which feels more intimate even if the gendered titles aren’t for everyone.
I like a deck with a system we can just pick up and use, but it isn’t just a reskin of the RWS, like we really need another one of those.
The guidebook is fantastic. I think even beginners can work with this easily enough. Thick and comprehensive with keywords and paragraph explanations for each card, plus spreads including the Celtic Cross and Krans’ own “connection spread.” She deliberately excluded reversed meanings, explaining that you should master all 78 upright cards first before adding that complexity, which I actually love as someone who finds reversals overwhelming.
The minor arcana only show Roman numerals instead of written titles, which I don’t think I’ve seen before but it’s a really cool tweak. The suits are obvious from the illustrations. The guidebook has images for reference anyway. For beginners like me, it’s surprisingly intuitive - the nature symbolism speaks more directly than traditional Renaissance imagery.
Overall, I’d give this deck a solid 9/10. It typically runs about $40 but you can find it for $25-30 with discounts, which is great value for the quality of art and comprehensive guidebook.
The only real downsides are the thinner cardstock (although it holds up fine so far) and the lack of reversed meanings, if that’s important to you. I think that’s all very minor compared to the strengths: gorgeous artwork, innovative interpretations that still respect tradition, and a deck that feels genuinely alive. Whether you’re a beginner who finds traditional decks off-putting or an experienced reader wanting fresh perspectives, this deck delivers.
It’s a modern classic for good reason.
