Alice in Wonderland Oracle

Alice in Wonderland Oracle - Wonderland as archetypal system

Some decks illustrate a story. Others use a story as a thinking system. This oracle by Paolo Barbieri and Carole-Anne Eschenazi does the latter.

Alice in Wonderland is not a children's book here. The 36 cards show Alice as a teenager, and the perspective shifts with her. Characters like the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts are read as archetypes, not as illustrations accompanying a text.

What you see on the cards

Paolo Barbieri draws in a style you can recognise by its depth, shadow and colour contrast. His Alice does not have the softness of a Victorian girl. She is sharper, older, and carries a gaze that says she already knows the rules of Wonderland.

The Cheshire Cat does not just grin. He reveals something. The Mad Hatter does not simply sit at the table. Each character carries a role you can translate into a situation or a choice. That is what this deck is built on.

The format is large: 88 x 125 mm. That gives the illustrations space. Details in clothing, background and facial expression stand out clearly.

How the guidebook works

Carole-Anne Eschenazi writes the texts. She is not a new name in this field. Her approach is not dreamy, but concrete. The guidebook explains how to link a Wonderland character to a question or theme.

There are no fixed spreads. What you get are tools to decide for yourself which card fits where. That requires a bit of experience, but not necessarily with tarot. With yourself, yes.

Draw a card when you face a choice that does not feel logical. Let the image sit with you before you decide anything.

Who this oracle works for

This deck assumes you know the story of Alice. Not every detail, but the atmosphere. If Wonderland is only a children's book to you, the symbolism will land less directly.

It works well for those who like to think with images rather than fixed structures. The cards have no numbering, no fixed order, no hierarchy. You take what comes and read what you see.

About Paolo Barbieri and Carole-Anne Eschenazi

Paolo Barbieri has been illustrating fantasy cards for decades. His style is theatrical and colourful, with great attention to light and shadow. Earlier work includes the Barbara Walker Tarot and the Universal Fantasy Tarot.

Carole-Anne Eschenazi is an author and developer of oracle and tarot decks. She is known for the De La Nuit series. Her strength lies in translating stories into usable card systems.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 36
• Card size: 88 x 125 mm
• Language: multilingual (including English)
• ISBN: 9780738779195
• Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
• Illustrator: Paolo Barbieri
• Author: Carole-Anne Eschenazi

Questions we often get

Do I need to have read the Lewis Carroll book to use this deck?
Not necessarily, but it helps. The cards rely on recognition. If you do not know the characters, you miss a layer of meaning.

How does this oracle differ from a tarot deck?
A tarot deck has 78 cards, divided into arcana and suits. This oracle has 36 cards with no fixed structure. It is freer, but also less geared towards a complete system.