The Phantomwise Tarot

A fantastical 78-card tarot deck and guidebook hand-painted by the award-winning author of the spellbinding bestseller The Night Circus.

Welcome to The Phantomwise Tarot. This black-and-white world is a little bit circusy, a little bit Wonderland, and a little bit nocturnal phantasia of its own invention. It is a mix of myth and fairy tale, where each individual you meet may be an illusion, reflection, or distortion. 

When Erin Morgenstern was working on her international bestseller The Night Circus, she began a creative exercise to better understand the complexities of the tarot. This painted series captures the themes of each of the 78 cards in a traditional Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck with equal parts whimsy and mystery. Archetypal figures like The Fool, The Hierophant, and The Lovers emerge from dark skies and swirling clouds. The ravens may not be what they seem. The cats know more than they'll ever tell. The accompanying guidebook offers interpretations of the cards and suggested spreads for tarot readings for beginners and expert readers alike.

These cards have waited patiently for over a decade to find their way into the world. Please welcome them into yours.

About the Author

Erin Morgenstern is the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus (one of Time magazine's 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time) and The Starless Sea. Her books have won Alex, Locus, and Dragon Awards and have been published in dozens of languages. She has a degree in theater from Smith College and lives in Massachusetts.