Like many kids who grew up in the 1970s, I loved watching reruns of The Addams Family on TV. It was a treat to watch because it wasn’t available on channels I got at home, so I could only watch at friends’ houses. Later, I sat with my own daughter enjoying the series of Addams Family movies that came out one after another. I still try to catch all new Addams Family movies. The Addams Family has such a unique place in our pop culture, as well as even in the American horror genre as well, to some degree.
Netflix’s show Wednesday is a current favorite of mine, and one I make a point of watching as soon as it streams. I actively look forward to new seasons (and seriously, the next one is due out in 2027??). It is such a well-produced show, with great casting, great actors and dialogue, and great style. Wednesday – The Official Oracle Deck, is based on Season One episodes of the show, and on the characters originally created by Charles Addams.
The quirky spooky creepy we love about Wednesday
The creators of the deck have done a fantastic job honoring the quirkiness and spookiness of the show and its characters. The artwork, by Leilani Bustamante, features clear depictions of all the major characters, including Wednesday Addams herself, her best friend and roomie Enid Sinclair, the inimitable Morticia Addams, and of course, Gomez and Pugsley, as well as other important friends and foes. Significant locations and objects, as well as crucial lessons learned, are featured on cards as well.
The deck is an oracle deck and doesn’t have suits. There are fifty-two cards. The first card features Wednesday herself (of course) and is titled The Psychic Skeptic. The main description of the card says, “Relentlessly clever with a mind for the macabre, Wednesday Addams uses her psychic abilities and intuition to guide her investigations rather than accepting the status quo. There is, after all, nothing quite like the feeling of being proven right.” The oracle clearly gets Wednesday Addams, and Wednesday the series. A card meaning and reversed meaning follow the card description. Every card is treated similarly, with a card description, followed by a card meaning and reversed meaning.
Card meanings and effectiveness in readings
The interpretations reflect the same kind of quirky dark humor the series so charmingly expresses. Here’s an example: for the card of Transition, featuring the Addams Family Car, the reversed meaning is, “Road trips are a unique form of torture, especially if family is involved.” It usefully adds, “As your journey continues, are you the one calling the shots toward progress? Or are you sitting idly in the passenger seat? Some transitions require us to take the wheel for ourselves to see the best results.”
Importantly, the creators of the deck have done a terrific job in choosing subjects for each card, and creating a deck that feels whole, as well as cohesive. Some oracle decks fall short of feeling complete; they might be a nicely themed deck, but don’t feel like they’ve encompassed a whole lot. With this deck, many of life’s experiences are explored through these cards. These align with the challenges that Wednesday faces in the show. The authors say, “While there’s nothing oddly occult about this deck, those with a keen eye for detail will uncover hidden truths about the world around them, drawing connections between the card themes and the mysteries plaguing their conscious and unconscious minds.”
“While there’s nothing oddly occult about this deck, those with a keen eye for detail will uncover hidden truths about the world around them, drawing connections between the card themes and the mysteries plaguing their conscious and unconscious minds.”
Dark art and style
The cards’ style itself is quite engaging and reflects well the style and feel of the series. The deck and accompanying guidebook rest snuggled in a sturdy black box with a purple interior. A silky black ribbon helps lift the cards from the well of the box. In the guidebook, each card gets a full page, with a full-color illustration of the card. The guidebook also provides a few tips for doing readings, and includes three quick spreads.
The cards are very nicely designed. Each card image is beautifully and artfully framed, which centers the subject of every card perfectly. This framing strongly reflects much of the architecture and design seen in the show. The backs of the cards directly mirror the design of Wednesday and Enid’s dorm window, which features so significantly in the show as well. Colors on the cards, like color schemes in the show, lean dark and rich, or moodily muted. The cards nicely reflect the atmosphere of the show.
Shuffling and working with the cards
These are very comfortable cards to use. Many oracle decks feel pretty small; I mean they actually feel like short decks, and shuffling can seem a bit odd because of it. Because these cards are a nice weight, not too thick but not at all thin, and have a linen finish, the deck seems fairly big, despite there only being fifty-two cards. Shuffling feels satisfying with these cards.
A must have for Addams Family fans
I’d highly recommend Wednesday – The Official Oracle Deck, especially for fans of Wednesday the series, and of the Addams Family. It’d also be a particularly great deck to use during Halloween season, though of course, I don’t limit my use of it to this season.
To learn more
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Learn more, read user reviews, or purchase Wednesday – The Official Oracle Deck at Amazon. Wednesday – The Official Oracle Deck with booklet by Amy Chase and illustrations by Leilani Bustamante, was published by Clarkson Potter.
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~ Nellie
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