A small cat sits inside the curve of a crescent moon. On another card, a white rabbit tops a key. Both pictures could belong to a book of Wonderland illustrations, but each still gives you an object you can name at a glance. That is what makes Alice’s Illusory Dream Lenormand interesting to read.
Presented by Cat Shadow Studio, the 41-card deck borrows characters and scenes from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The story gives the pictures their character, while the Lenormand symbols give you something concrete to work with when you lay the cards down together.
Read the objects before following the story
Wonderland encourages you to look for a story in every corner. That can be part of the pleasure of owning the deck. For a short reading, though, try naming the main object on each card first. A key. A moon. A star. Put two symbols beside each other and see what they suggest about the question you asked.
Suppose you draw the Key beside a card that makes you think of a conversation. You might ask which conversation would help you understand a problem better. The rabbit can then add a little character to the reading. Does it make you think of rushing towards an answer, or of being curious enough to open a door you usually pass by?
That is one way to read the artwork. The point is to keep the question specific enough that you can tell which part of the picture changed your thinking.
Two editions with very different shapes
The Collector edition uses 63 × 88 mm rectangular cards. Spot holographic printing, spot UV, gold foil and shiny purple gilding give the cards several different ways to catch the light. The deck comes in a telescoping box with a printed guidebook in Chinese.
The Portable edition uses 65 × 65 mm square cards, with matte blue gilding and a tuck box. It does not include a printed guidebook. Both editions use 350 gsm paper coated on both sides.
The Portable cards are slightly wider than the Collector cards, even though they are much shorter. For a reading in rows, that changes the space you need more than the word “portable” might suggest. If you are choosing between the two, consider how you usually lay out your cards alongside which finish you prefer.
Give the small pictures a little time
The Collector finish is easy to notice first. The Portable gallery gives you a different view of the artwork, with small figures and objects arranged inside pale circular scenes. Spend a moment with each presentation. Which one makes it easier for you to see the symbol you want to read?
See both editions and their finishes in the Alice’s Illusory Dream Lenormand product gallery. The deck is presented by Cat Shadow Studio and retailed by Stars Tarot.
