Out of Character Deck Purchases?

Today I went shopping with my mom and we visited the only decent New Age/Metaphysical shop in town because I had a gift certificate and I wanted to spend it (and it's really easy to spend lots of money in a New Age/Metaphysical store).

To make a long story short, the Motherpeace Tarot practically grabbed me, shook me, and yelled "TAKE ME HOME!"

Now, what's odd about this compulsion was that I've never really liked the Motherpeace. The artwork always seemed crude to me, I wasn't sold on round decks (heresy!) and women's spirituality isn't really my thing anymore. Still, I thought: "What the heck? I'll take you home."

I just did a deck interview spread. I feel like this deck just punched me in the gut. It was so matter of fact about my misgivings and so insistent that it had something to offer me. I carefully looked through every card, and although some of it still looks crude (and there's a lot of women = good, men = evil), other images do have an odd sort of appeal. I think I'm going to give this deck a chance, but the purchase still seems so out of character for me. Does anyone have a similar story to tell? Which decks pounced on you and wouldn't leave you alone until you took them home?

Definately my most out of character deck purchase by far (aside from the Hello Kitty, which might not count) is the Globalight Angelic Tarot.

I am not Christian, and I am not very fond of angels. You could even say until the Sharon Shinn books I found them vaugely creepy. But every single time I would catch a glimpse of this deck, I would go ooh, what is THAT. So, finally I gave in and got a copy. And it's a gorgeous deck, and I hope that someday Penny finishes the minors. Because for me, it's very...mary-el like, in that the art REALLY speaks to me. beyond the norm.
(The artist is a lovely person. Maybe that came through in the art - IDK.)

And it's one of the only two of my many, many 22 card decks I get out and read with once in awhile. (the other one was the LE mary-el...)

I have purchased lots of out of character decks, mainly because most of the stores in my area have pretty bad selections, if they have tarot at all, and my compulsive personality won't let me out the door without buying something.

Until last week I had only ever purchased one deck on impulse (Ludy Lescot), preferring to look at the scans on Aeclectic or the artist's website if they were available. Then I wandered into the local bookstore and they had two decks that I HAD seen images of and dismissed previously.

So I bought them. I can't say I'm disappointed in the decks. The minors are non-scenic but so are a few others I own. I simply haven't learned to read with unillustrated pips yet. The decks were the Anne Stokes Gothic and the Alchemy 1977 England.

Haha this happened to me with Shadowscapes. I saw it in a bookstore and I walked away from it because generally I dislike mauvy pastel colours and dragons & angels & that sort of imagery. But for some reason, I couldn't get it out of my mind, & I ended up going back the next day to get it. It felt like it had things to teach me, and we've become good friends. I truly love this deck, and I feel like since I've been using it I've learned to be less rigid and judgemental with the way I look at things.

The Deviant Moon. I bought it out of curiosity, to see what all the fuss was about. It is just not for me.

HighPriestess said:

Which decks pounced on you and wouldn't leave you alone until you took them home?

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Love this notion, High Priestess, though I'm guilty to say that if I'm buying somethin', it's in character. Consumerism! Alas!

Probably the most unexpected deck I bought was the Ator. I was already buying the International Icon, and found the button noses and big eyes cute enough to check out. I'm not big on cartoony cute, and wouldn't have acquired without the International Icon, but I don't regret it. It's clever, sharp, and doesn't hold back on the imagery. I find it useful for reading with skeptics (ahem, live-in SOs) because it's not self serious.