The Faeries' Oracle

Author and illustrator Brian Froud offers believers a chance to consult with the magical wee folks. Using a deck of 66 "oracle cards," believers conduct readings as if interpreting Tarot cards. Each of the cards features Froud's signature faery pictures. Some of the cards have specific faeries, like the naked leaping "Spirit Lancer"--a feminine card that represents "self-expression, freedom, and exploration," according to the accompanying text written by Jessica Macbeth. Others are more abstract, like the "Guardian of the Gate," a blue- tinted card with splaying silver-white streaks that look like tendrils of faery hair.

This fascinating deck will keep Froud fans delighted for hours. Once seekers are ready to actually start communicating with faeries, they will also be delighted with Macbeth's whimsical, yet highly informative, guidebook. She is quick to sympathize with the self-consciousness that comes with talking to faeries, yet she also has the ability to jolly people out of their embarrassment. Macbeth is at her wisest when discussing how to ask for guidance and interpret specific layouts of oracle cards. But if you find yourself succumbing to giggles in the midst of all this faery woo-woo, take heart. Writes Macbeth, "Giggles are the grace notes of faery music." --Gail Hudson