The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr Review: A Divine-Feminine Deck, Researched

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A Tarot Deck Built Around the Divine Feminine

Most tarot decks inherit the Rider-Waite imagery: knights, kings, queens, and a mostly male cast of archetypes. The Goddess Tarot, written and illustrated by Kris Waldherr and published by U.S. Games Systems, replaces that cast with goddesses drawn from mythologies around the world. Each of the 22 Major Arcana tells the story of a different goddess —the High Priestess becomes Isis, the Empress is a divine mother figure, and so on —while the four suits of the Minor Arcana are each anchored to a goddess of a different element. The Cups suit ties to Venus, Swords to Isis, Pentacles to Lakshmi, and Staves (Wands) to Freyja.

It's a concept that has sold roughly a quarter of a million copies since its release, and it's often described as one of the most beautiful decks ever made. Our job in this review is to tell you whether that beauty comes with a practical price: whether it's learnable, how the cards and box feel in hand, and who it's really for. We compare it against the decks most buyers weigh it against —the plain-but-learnable Rider-Waite and the dreamy Shadowscapes Tarot.

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Themed / Art Tarot Deck

Thematic decks like this are bought with the heart. Judge them with the head too:

• Does it keep a learnable structure? The Goddess Tarot keeps Rider-Waite-Smith correspondences, so you can learn standard meanings from it. That's a big plus over decks that fully reinvent the system (see our tarot buying guide).
• Card size and stock: The cards print at about 3.5" x 4.75" —a comfortable, standard tarot size that shuffles well in average hands. Confirm the stock feels right for your use.
• What's included: The set includes an instructional booklet and a full-color spread sheet, not a thick hardcover book. Serious study may want a companion text.
• Box quality: It comes in a sturdy two-piece cardboard box sized around 4.6" x 7" —protective enough for a working deck, though not a leather keepsake case.

Specs Comparison

Best Overall: The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr

The deck is a full 78 cards, and Waldherr's ornate, detailed artwork is the draw: flowing robes, symbolic animals, botanical borders, and jewel-toned palettes on every card. Because the imagery stays rooted in the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, a beginner who already knows the basic meanings can read this deck without re-learning a new system —the goddess layer adds emotional and mythic depth rather than replacing the fundamentals. The accompanying booklet gives a short upright meaning for each card, and the included full-color spread sheet walks you through layouts so you're not guessing where to place cards.

For readings, it's flexible: a simple three-card past-present-future spread reads beautifully, and the Celtic Cross gives the rich artwork room to breathe. The cardstock is a smooth, standard coated stock that handles everyday shuffling, and the box holds the deck snugly. Owners consistently describe it as both a working tool and a beautiful object —a deck that feels meaningful for readings centered on empowerment, relationships, creativity, and the divine feminine.

Runner-Up: Shadowscapes Tarot

If you're drawn to art-led decks but want an even more dreamlike, painterly look, our runner-up is the Shadowscapes Tarot (4.7 stars, ~1,200 reviews). It also stays on the Rider-Waite backbone, so it's learnable, but its watercolor faerie imagery is softer and more ethereal than Waldherr's ornate goddesses. Choose The Goddess Tarot for the divine-feminine theme; choose Shadowscapes for pure watercolor beauty.

Check Shadowscapes Tarot price on Amazon

Best Budget: Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

At around $18 with more than 10,000 ratings, the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck is the sensible budget pick if your only goal is learning the meanings. It's the plain, reference deck that both The Goddess Tarot and Shadowscapes are built on. The Goddess Tarot costs a little more for the artwork and goddess framework —buy the Rider-Waite to learn the system, then the Goddess Tarot when you want it to feel meaningful.

Check Rider-Waite Tarot Deck price on Amazon

Beginners vs. Advanced: Which Should You Buy?

The ~$18 Rider-Waite wins on price and sheer learnability —it's the deck to reach for if you're building a practice from zero. The ~$22 Goddess Tarot is the sweet spot: it costs only a few dollars more, keeps the learnable Rider-Waite structure, and layers on beautiful goddess art. The ~$24 Shadowscapes is the premium art pick. In short: the Goddess Tarot is one of the rare themed decks that genuinely works as a first deck, because it doesn't make you sacrifice learnability for beauty.

Who This Is For

• Beginners who want a beautiful, learnable first deck rooted in the Rider-Waite system
• Readers drawn to goddess mythology, the divine feminine, and empowerment-themed readings
• Collectors who want ornate, decorative art they'll enjoy looking at on an altar or shelf

Final Verdict

The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr earns its enduring popularity because it does something rare: it makes a themed, art-driven deck that's still genuinely learnable. The ornate goddess artwork is among the most beautiful in modern tarot, the Rider-Waite backbone means beginners can read it without re-learning the system, and the included booklet and spread sheet support new readers. The trade-offs are modest —the booklet is compact rather than book-length, and the decorative art can feel less literal than a classic Rider-Waite scene. If you want a beautiful first deck rooted in the divine feminine, The Goddess Tarot is one of the best choices you can make at this price.

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Last updated: October 2026. Prices as of October 2026 —check Amazon for current pricing. We research products based on user reviews, product specifications, and real-world feedback to make honest recommendations. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. This doesn't affect our recommendations. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Decks, cards, and divination tools are for reflection, hobby, and entertainment —not medical, financial, or legal advice.