I have been very work-focused lately (in a healthy way, please take care of yourself first). That means I am trying to squeeze in my blog reviews (tarot in my life is never stopping, though) to give myself a breather. It's time for the Luna Sol Tarot, produced by Darren Shill and Kay Medaglia at Liminal 11. This deck is not new to me, as what you'll see today is its newer edition - in fact, it's a deck I've known and worked with for three years!
I tend to label my decks (mentally) to easily locate them in my collection for the moments when I need something particular. What has stood the most about the Luna Sol is its inclusion and its softness. It's a gentle, charming deck with revitalized symbolism, and lots of characters that "invite you in with moments of delicate vulnerability"; being "an uplifting, healing tarot deck that reflects our beautifully diverse world". Indeed, the Luna Sol makes space for everyone. The palette choice, leaning on pastels, is the very first thing that made me smile. The artwork feels soft, but not blurry or diffused. The diversity of the characters promotes a more realistic, inviting environment - and of course, it highlights the issue of representation.
I mentioned a “revitalized symbolism” because the cards feel really modern and fresh. The diversity and the laid-back and honest vibe of the characters encourages deep conversations with oneself. And the artwork is so pretty! It features thin lines of different colours (instead of just using black) and the shapes feel organic. There's a natural flow into the card, even in the moodiest ones - allowing for an easy way to weave thoughts among different cards that may seem contradictive at first.
Let's go over the differences between the editions. The box now is the same as the usual Liminal 11 boxes, with a magnetic slipcase box. The backs in the second edition feature the same design, but they are borderless. The cards are a sliver taller than in the first edition, and in terms of the finish, the second edition is more matte - the first edition was not glossy to start with. The cards are the same, and if I were to find a difference, I would say that in the second edition the illustrations appear either darker or a little bit less saturated - and I feel that in the second edition the textures show better. In this edition there are also two extra cards: Wu Wei and Duality.
The booklet has new features, with the inclusion of new pages, its being in full color, and having a hardcover. It includes a foreword, an introduction, information on how to read the cards, tips, spreads, and information on the cards themselves. This information is more extensive on the majors (which also include a quote for each card) and shorter, but still very valuable, in the minors.
The Luna Sol Tarot breathes a gentle but energizing vibe that can enchant very different people. The diversity, the beautiful colours, the striking artwork and the ease when connecting different cards make it a highly approachable deck that doesn’t sacrifice depth or symbolism in its quest for openness. This is an unmissable deck - and this new edition, with its wonderful box and two extra cards, is an amazing addition to the Liminal 11 repertoire.
