Thanks a lot for the animal list, Carla.
Let me add the ones from the Greenwood, so that everyone else can compare, too (if they're interested
).
[Card title -- Wildwood animal -- Greenwood animal]
Arrows--
King--kingfisher -- Lynx
Queen--Swan -- Deer
Knight--Hawk -- Hawk
Page--Wren -- Woodpecker
Bows/Wands--
King--Adder -- Adder
Queen-Hare -- Hare
Knight--Fox -- Fox
Page--Stoat -- Stoat
Stones--
King--Wolf -- Horse
Queen--Bear -- Bear
Knight--Horse -- Wolf
Page--Lynx -- Wren
Vessels/Cups--
King--Heron -- Reindeer
Queen--Salmon -- Heron
Knight--Eel -- Salmon
Page--Otter -- Kingfisher
Why on Earth did they delete both Deer and Reindeer? Surely Deer were more central too pre-Celtic life than Eel?
Also, the other changes (switching Kingfisher from Page of Cups to King of Arrows, or Lynx from King of Arrows to Page of Stones, or changing the places of Horse and Wolf) make it nearly impossible for people familiar with the Greenwood animals to adapt to the Wildwood system. I wonder of there is any explanation for these more drastic changes in the companion book?
Carla said:
Cat, which Wildwood cards do you particularly hate? I'm curious.
From the ones I've seen so far, I strongly dislike:
- The Forest Lovers (these two dopey-eyed ones convey neither passion nor wholehearted decision to me)
- Nine of Bows (just plain creepy!)
- Seven of Arrows (what's with the drama queen pose?!)
- Five of Vessels (this is a particularly bad-LoS one, way too tiptoed for me)
- Seven of Stones (okay, this may just be the letdown from the Greenwood - it's one of my favorite cards there and one of my least favorite here)
- Nine of Vessels (silly guru cliché pose)
- Two of Vessels (why does this have to be so obviously gendered?)
- The Mirror (another bad-LoS one, way to sexualized)
There are some more that I don't hate as pictures in and of themselves, but only when I compare them to the Greenwood, most especially the Seer/High Priestess (not sure what she's called in the Wildwood).
It might be a minor detail for some, but I really dislike all the tip-toed and/or artfully (sexily) posed women. Especially compared to the women of the Druidcraft deck. To me, this is where the Wildwood gets most Lo Scarabeo-comic artist-like. Oh, and in the Death (renamed the Journey in the Wildwood) card - it's all a bit too dramatic for my taste. I prefer the slow, earthy feel of the Greenwood or the Druidcraft.
And just because I found this on the BookDepository page for the deck again and it still makes me angry (emphasis mine):
In this eye-catching deck, previously known as "The Greenwood Tarot", Mark Ryan and John Matthews reawaken the classic forest archetypes of the Green Man and Woman, the Archer, the Hooded Man and the Blasted Oak.
No, no, NO! This is
FALSE ADVERTISING. The Wildwood is NOT "The Deck Formerly Known As The Greenwood". It's merely a new deck that is based on the same system (as far as I know). There have been major changes to the cards, and we're not just talking different art styles here.
I'm not saying people shouldn't like this deck. But reading these Greenwood references really makes me want to spit. To me, this feels like an attempt to betray the buyers, and have them believe they get a reprint or at least a close redrawing of the Greenwood. And THAT makes me wonder about the integrity of the people who claim to be able to teach us something about spirituality and a respectful attitude towards the Earth and her inhabitants (among which humans surely also count)...
and find it hard to see anything except the print quality as in any way "generic" to them ! But I am peculiar ! Anyone will tell you this... 