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I reviewed several tarot decks and even a couple of oracle decks so far, but I found myself struggling to write about the Deviant Moon Tarot designed and illustrated by artist Patrick Valenza ^[2], because I didn’t want to pen a typical review. I picked up the Deviant Moon Tarot: Borderless Edition ^[3] as a gift to myself for my birthday, and was drawn deeper into Valenza’s process when I read the guidebook (pgs 6 and 7) about how this deck took three years to produce and his description of his artistic process.

Valenza said that: “My character stylization was influenced by ancient Greek art, yet I added a slightly abstracted twist. I chose to draw the figures in a flat, playing card style, rendering them with heavy light and shadows, then placing them in a shallow background. As I worked, different styles emerged, and before long the characters evolved into the moon-faced beings see in the cards.” This detail stood out to me, because his description reads as if he’s an artist peering at his younger self with loving care.

Knowing how much work Valenza put into this deck caused me to realize that I wasn’t just drawn to the art on the cards, I was drawn to learning more about him as an artist. So, I picked up the full-color, hardcover Deviant Moon Tarot Book ^[4] as a companion to the tarot deck, and I’m really glad I did. The hardcover book sits at the intersection of a Taschen art book and an esoteric grimoire, and is one I highly recommend even if you don’t get the deck. In an era where a polished version is spat out of a vending machine due to genAI, this style of art book-slash-tarot guide is an authentic representation of the journey Valenza followed to draw on his imagination, interests, and personal experiences to create his signature style.

After reading the guidebook, I started with one-to-three card readings to become more familiar with my deck and the card’s meanings. Unlike other tarot decks, where the court cards tend to get a little muddled, the Deviant Moon Tarot is more balanced and, in some cases, more direct, because it takes each suit and transforms them into families or clans. For example, the suit of swords is portrayed as: “The family of swords is a powerful clan, yet its members are troubled with conflict. In spite of their problems, they persevere through strength and fortitude.” This type of storytelling helps the cards emerge as stronger symbols that expand past traditional Rider-Waite-Smith portrayals to form a customized experience unique to this deck without alienating tarot enthusiasts.

The print quality of the cards is gorgeous, and each tarot card is a miniature work of art. The back of the cards are the same if you shuffle them in the upright or reverse position, and both sets of meanings are included in the enclosed guidebook and in the hardcover companion. Offering stylized figures, the deck leans into the lunar theme with both the art and the “Lunatic Spread,” a self-guided tarot card spread of cards laid out in a circle, the shape of the moon.

My only complaint about the Deviant Moon Tarot ^[3], is that I really want a premium edition of this deck so I can keep one as a collectible with a more elaborate card box and gilded foil edges while using the other. The deck box is, unfortunately, already starting to wear. Even so, trying to protect the deck is proving to be a challenge. The tarot card sleeves I bought are just a little too short for the cards. If you are anything like me and want to protect and use this deck, as printed, know that 67mm x 130mm cards are considered oversized and require a different sleeve that’s hard to find.

Do I think this type of deck is good for beginners? Actually? Yes, yes I do. This deck is the reason why so many of us are drawn to tarot in the first place. Not only has the artist spent a great deal of time and attention developing each card, the meanings and symbolism depict an interesting caricature that tells a story in Valenza’s fantasy world. As one of my favorite tarot decks in my collection, I give this deck five stars despite the issues that I have with its wear-and-tear.

To order direct from the artist, visit Deviant Moon, Inc ^[2].




This review contains Amazon.com affiliate links. Multiple editions of the tarot decks are now available, including a miniature edition and a deck with borders, through your favorite bookstores, too. Both the guidebook and the tarot decks are published by US Games Systems, and are widely available.