Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has been a beloved classic for generations. Ichabod Crane’s enchanting and mysterious adventure has ignited imaginations for two centuries, inspiring works of music, film, and stage. It has become an enduring staple of American folklore and Halloween traditions. In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot, artist Nick Lawyer takes the gothic subject matter of Irving’s novel and intertwines it with the profound themes of the Tarot to create a powerful tool for self-discovery.
The newest addition to our literary tarot decks, The Legend of Sleep Hollow Tarot takes you on an exciting ride of self-discovery! With engaging and inspiring illustrations reminiscent of the famous Rider-Waite Tarot by Pamela Colman Smith, it proves instantly familiar but transports the reader to a new world of divinatory possibilities.
An Overview of the Deck
In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot-Headless Horseman Edition, artist Nick Lawyer takes the gothic subject matter of Irving’s novel and intertwines it with the profound themes of the Tarot to create a powerful tool for self-discovery.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot: Unboxing and First Impressions
Apart from this, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot: Headless Horseman Edition is an easy to read, RWS system and imagery based deck, incorporating period-appropriate characters, themes, dress and the like into the images, retelling the story of Ichabod Crane and The Headless Horseman in a Tarot deck.
Key Features:
- Presents a classic story and its characters in an exciting and suitable new context
- Includes captivating and dynamic illustrations allowing you to harness the power of Halloween / dark fantasy & occult art to unleash yourself
- Brings together two different genres into a perfect fit for self-development-Tarot and storytelling
The concise guidebook gives clear, direct meanings that will help readers use this deck to its full potential. Let the Headless Horseman take you on a one-of-a-kind journey, the journey to you.
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About the Artist
Nick Lawyer has been an illustrator since he was young. He’s always been interested in history and folklore, particularly the macabre and obscure. Reviewed by N. 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.
First Impressions
Let me start this review off by saying that, when the original edition of this deck was released, I was tempted to purchase it, but never did. In retrospect, I find it amusing that I didn’t, because this is a deck based off of one of my favorite pieces of literature, and the edition I’m reviewing dons the Headless Horseman on its’ cover, my favorite feature of this beloved folk tale.
This deck immediately transported me to the spooky, eerie woods of Sleepy Hollow where the Headless Horseman rides his black horse in search of his head, terrorizing anyone who comes across his path. The artist, Nick Lawyer, has conjured up a gothic/ghostly version of the Rider Waite Tarot and put his own stamp on the images, morphing some of our knights and kings into headless riders, which I love (shown below). His artwork makes this deck perfect for reading in the autumn months, especially as Halloween nears. This hit the spot this year when I was wanting to reach for a spookier deck to read with.
Deep Dive into the Deck's Components
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.
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. In addition, the major arcana cards all have a brief synopsis from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, or Irving’s short story “ The Devil and Tom Walker.” Therefore, letting the user know exactly who, what, where and why the image works for that particular card. Alongside this, every card in the deck has keywords for upright and reversal meanings. The minor arcana have a sentence or two, to let the user know what is happening in the image. As tarot is about image and intuition, this guide is convenient and to the point. It gives enough to learn, use or interpret the cards, without being overdone.
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There are even spreads in the guidebook, based off of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow!
Card Quality and Design
- Card Stock: Not too thick, but may bow after use.
- Finish: Nice matte finish for smooth shuffling.
- Size: A little bigger than the standard tarot deck (3.5 x 1.81 x 5.38 inches).
- Card Backs: Stunning dark colonial blue background with a gold foil pattern adorned with pumpkins, skulls, and moons.
- Box: Gorgeous and sturdy two-piece box for card protection.
Diving Deeper into the Cards
The Major Arcana are particularly well done, featuring scenes that blend tarot archetypes with moments from the tale like Ichabod Crane as the Fool as he blissfully arrives at Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horseman as Death, The Lovers portraying Ichabod and Katrina Van Tassel dancing at a harvest party while some of the other figures like The Empress, Emperor and Hierophant feature figures from not only the story but that you’d expect to see from this time period - I realized this is the first colonial tarot deck I own, which is cool.
The Minor Arcana, divided into swords, cups, wands, and pentacles, portray the small town life in colonial times and integrate the familiar tarot structure but with Sleepy Hollow’s peculiar essence, making the deck easy to read for those familiar with traditional Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism while adding some changes for people like me who like a bit of variation from deck to deck. If you are a reader who likes to see something new in the cards as you work with them, this is a great deck to pull from to get some unique reads. I’m a firm believer in the idea that the reading chooses the deck, so whatever message I need to hear that day will absolutely come from the deck I’m drawn to at that moment. So, having decks that offer me more than the traditional images helps vary the types of messages I can receive, helping me keep my readings fresh and interesting. This is one of the reasons I love reading cards so much.
I can appreciate that not every card in the deck follows exactly the images from the RWS Tarot. The creator gave us some variations that I found quite interesting. For example, the 9 of Wands is typically represented as an injured and bandaged individual standing in front of nine wands arranged in the format of a fence, depicting a border or boundary that is sorely needed. But here, the artist has given us an image in motion, racing past the trees (which represent our wands) to the church bridge where the Headless Horsemen typically crosses into Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod in motion is representative of a different type of boundary that needs to be shored up.
I think this is the first deck in my collection that features a person or figure in one of the aces. In this version, the artist made an interesting choice to make the Ace of Pentacles the ferryman. Here's a quote from the guidebook on the section with the Ace of Pentacles.
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And the creator carries that theme forward in the 2 of Pentacles with a corpse accompanied by 2 coins as payment to Charon, the ferryman of the underworld. I love the thought that went into these cards when some decks have more pip-style minors, so I appreciate having more creative expressions continued throughout the whole deck, not just the majors.
Using the Deck for Readings
This deck can offer a unique and narrative-rich reading experience. If you’re looking to add tension and intrigue to your readings, this deck’s haunting energy and spectral images will do just that. It’s perfect if you’ve been in a tarot slump, which I can fall in from time to time. I love the narrative feel with the story woven in because I also love freeform, narrative readings vs. a tarot spread. Since the images tap into the folklore around the Headless Horseman, it’s easier to find a narrative in the cards when reading with them.
You could reach for this deck not only during the Halloween season or autumn months, but any time you want to explore darker themes or shadow work. It’s a completely immersive deck, transporting you to Sleepy Hollow where dark, shadowy figures may lurk just outside of your awareness, holding urgent messages you need to hear. These are some of my favorite decks to use in winter months too when I seem to delve into more self-reflection and shadow work.
The darker, spectral images, like the High Priestess above, help you delve into your subconscious, facing deeply rooted fears, hidden desires, and the mysteries that lurk in the corners of your mind. Its themes of death, hauntings, and searching for what is lost makes it an ideal deck for readings that explore losses, the uncertainties of life, rebirth and transformations, threats to our safety and boundaries, and impending changes we may face in the near future.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot is a must-have for fans of the gothic tale and anyone seeking atmospheric decks that immerse you in the Halloween spirit. It’s spooky, mystical, and dark in a delicious way. I just fell in love with it the moment I had in my hands.
Spreads in the Guidebook
There are 4 original spreads in the guidebook: Love Triangle Spread, Ichabod's Guide Spread, The Horseman's Chase Spread, and Tribal Chieftain Spread.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Tarot by Red Feather perfectly captures the haunting, atmospheric magic of Washington Irving’s classic tale, blending folklore, mystery, and tarot symbolism into a deck that both Sleepy Hollow enthusiasts and tarot readers will appreciate. The deck beautifully weaves the themes of the tale of Sleepy Hollow into the 78 cards of the tarot, with each suit reflecting key characters and elements of the story. From the chilling Headless Horseman haunting the town of Sleepy Hollow to the romance budding between Ichabod Crane and Katrina Van Tassel and the ghostly happenings that occur in between, the cards bring to life the essence of the story with rich, gothic illustrations.
The color palette has autumnal colors including dark browns, rust reds, burnt oranges, moody blues, and vivid yellows that evoke a somber but mystical vibe throughout. I can’t wait for a crisp October night when the veil thins to really put these cards to work. I love matching my moods with the decks I work with, and nothing screams Halloween more than this haunting deck.
Shipping Information
Here is the shipping information, if you are interested in purchasing this deck:
- Standard: Typically 3-8 business days.
- Express: Typically 2-3 business days.
- Overnight: Order by 11AM EST for overnight delivery.
Note: This applies to territories and possessions. For P.O. boxes, please allow extra time.