Sasha Graham’s Vampire’s Tale Tarot deck Review

I just received my copy of the The Vampire’s Tale Tarot by Sasha Graham and Abigail Larson. It is a darkly hypnotic, narrative-driven deck with rich, atmospheric storytelling. Here’s my review.

Writing and Artistry:

• Captivating Narrative: Written by Sasha Graham, the companion guidebook reads like a gothic novella, following the Fool's Journey of Octavia, a half-human, half-vampire protagonist. I love that. You cannot help but fall in love with the character.

• Illustration: Illustrated by Abigail Larson, the artwork features a dark-fantasy, comic-book style that transforms traditional Rider-Waite-Smith archetypes into an immersive vampire realm. Compared to the Darkwood Tarot, by the same illustrator, I find that the illustrations lack depth and richness. I was hoping for the quality of Sasha’s two previous decks, with very strong imagery that created a beautiful ambiance around readings.

Physical Build and Usability:

• Thin Card Stock: The cards use a flexible, gloss finish that feels on the thinner side, requiring a gentle hand when shuffling.

• Dark Imagery: The moody, nocturnal palette leans heavily into deep shadows and dark tones, which make fine details harder to parse in dim lighting.

• Compact Guidebook Text: Packed with a complete story, character notes, and secret questions across a dense format, the text can feel small and require extra focus to read. The cards illustrations are not full page, something I miss, and there are no spreads provided 🫤

If you love gothic romance, deep shadow work, and story-infused tarot, the creative depth of The Vampire’s Tale Tarot easily overshadows its physical quirks. Although, I’m a little disappointed, I still prefer Sasha Graham’s previous decks, The haunted house and The Darkwood Tarot which are among my favorites decks.

For now I will wait for the reprint version of The Vampire’s Tale by the French publisher, the cards quality is always better… looking forward to it!