Gill

The Gill Tarot Deck

Elizabeth Josephine Gill (U.S. Games Systems, Inc 1990).

Review
Is this deck a half-hearted attempt by someone clearly more interested in the Kaballah? Or is it a lovingly rendered example of fearless colour? Frankly, you could argue either way.

If it was a Majors only deck, I'd actually be a lot more kind about it. The Majors are bright, and detailed but still very clear and uncluttered. The line work is gentle but still crisp, and the characters are expressive. In that same clearly, almost instructional way, I really love the map of the Tree of Life on the card back, complete with the quote on the bottom that if you squint, reads as "and I see men as trees, walking."

Matters become seriously unstuck with the Minor Arcana. As the Seven of Cups clearly demonstrates, the numbered cards are very simple images, little more than pips. Though having said that, the stand out card is the Two of Swords, with the two serene disembodied faces and the keyword 'Peace' on a marbled background. The court cards are better, being more like the Majors, but the annoying habit of putting K or Q in the corner for Kings or Queens make this look more like a playing card with a makeover. And on a more basic level, these cards are so wide as to be nearly square, so shuffling this deck is surprisingly difficult.

Of course, the handy keywords on most of the cards, and the simple clarity of the images means that a nervous or inexperienced reader might actually prefer it. I just hope they have bigger hands than me.