Gilded Tarot: A Review

The Gilded Tarot, for the price (currently around $17 on Amazon.com), is on the surface, a pretty good deal.  The set comes with a 78 card deck, a companion book filled with card explanations, and a tulle drawstring bag to hold the cards.  Unfortunately the price alone wasn't enough to sway me into becoming a fan of this deck or the set.  On the pro side, the images on the deck are a bright contrast to the black background.  However, the computer generated, cut and paste feel of each card left me feeling cold.  There is nothing to connect with....perhaps it sounds strange, but the images (though medieval in theme) were a bit too modern for me.  The book, while detailed enough, is a little on the convoluted side in the meanings it gives for each card.  This definitely wouldn't be the book to start with for the beginner.  The drawstring bag, while a nice freebie, is not the appropriate storage method for a deck a reader plans on using on a regular basis, nor does it provide much protection for the deck.  What it ultimately comes down to is personal preference. If the images appeal to you (go here to see several images of the deck) then this might be a great addition to your collection.  This however isn't the deck or set for a newbie, nor does it provide the "connection" I felt needed to exist between the reader and the card images.