Shakespearian Tarot by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki illustrations by Paul Hardy   This marvelous tarot deck-and-book set features scenes from plays by William Shakespeare on all 78 cards.  The art style is rich in color and fans of the plays will recognize many of the characters immediately.  This is helped by the use of quotations from each play on the cards, to highlight the moment illustrated and give clues to the reasons the characters were chosen for the particular card they grace.   While the deck's symbolism is good enough to reveal much of the meaning of each card, the book is valuable in deciphering the relationship between the characters from Shakespeare's plays and the cards themselves.  Selling the deck alone would lose a great deal of significance.   Traditional titles are used for all of the Major Arcana cards.  These feature the Roman numeral and title at the top of the card, the image of characters acting out scenes in various plays, and at the bottom, the quotation from the particular dramatic moment being enacted.  In some of the cards, the scene looks particularly theatrical, as if we are seeing the actors on stage playing their roles; however, in the majority of cards you see the actual characters brought to actual life.   The Minor Arcana are where the changes are.  The Suits have been renamed to become Swords, Orbs, Crowns and Sceptres.  The Court cards are Lady, Lord, Queen and King.  Again the titles are at the top, this time the numbers are spelled out.  Quotes adorn the bottoms of the cards as they did in the Majors.  The cards are slightly smaller and narrower than standard, with smoothly finished edges, and a somewhat slippery coating.  They shuffle and handle fairly easily.   Overall, this is a lovely set, especially appropriate for fans of the Shakespearian genre.  Artistically pleasing, any collector should enjoy them, and they are a useable tarot as well.  I'm not sure I'd recommend them for beginners, but they aren't so difficult that expert knowledge is required.  They are a quality tarot set.  Unfortunately, they are no longer readily available commercially, so if you encounter a set, don't delay in picking it up!   Click here for pictures   or here to return   Please use your browser's back button to return from pictures   also by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki: Servants of the Light Tarot   Review Copyright 1998 by Gina M. Pace