The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot: Headless Horseman edition
Nick Lawyer
REDFeather (October 28, 2023)
Reviewed by N. Richards
What a wonderful way to honour the Irving Washington classic gothic story of 1822, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and the season of autumn as well as the art of Tarot all in one hit of a magical creation—if it emitted a pumpkin spice aroma as it was opened, it would be too much.
As it is, it is perfect.
Nick Lawyer is a genuine lover of all things Halloween, as can be seen by his “grim” but gorgeous artwork, which can be found on his Instagram page, only seconded by his love of the classic short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” which he reads every October with his family as an autumn tradition of their own. The passion shows through in this stunning deck. The artwork is a clever blend of the classic RWS Pamela Coleman Smith style along with striking use of colour and symbolism that weaves the dark mysteries of the story and its famous characters seamlessly with the classic RWS Tarot.
I like it a lot and it really stands out amongst these seasonal decks: the colours, for one thing, are not dark and drab; they are rich and also make use of the primary palette to great effect—not just to the eye but to the subconscious, which is imperative to the psychic side of things.
The cards themselves are white-bordered and a good size and thickness without being too heavy. They shuffle very well and look like they will stand the test of time. The back of the cards has an exquisite design in midnight blue and metallic orange featuring pumpkins, skulls, moons, and sun. Truly one of my favourites of the season.
The 111-page guidebook is comprehensive and succinct, with both upright and reversed meanings; the write-up for each card engages with the classic story by referencing it directly. It has some creative “Hollow”-themed spreads to try out, such as “The Horseman’s Chase” and “Ichabod’s guide.” as well as others to enjoy.
Everything comes in a very neat and sturdy little box that will store well and is of course embellished with that exquisite design and the by-now infamous ” headless horseman”.
Spooky, atmospheric and an absolute delight to use.
