I didn’t intend to read this book at all, and only bought a second-hand copy of The Raven’s Prophecy to use some of Stievfater’s wonderful art in a collage, but I skimmed the first page, and found myself absorbed. This little book is a great introduction to tarot for beginners, and was a good refresher for me, as someone who had fallen out of the habit of reading on a regular basis. I enjoyed learning about the rationale behind Stievfater’s artistic choices, and grounding each individual card’s meaning in the five cycles (of Major Arcana and the four Minor Arcana) was also useful– an aspect of tarot some other guides overlook. I’d still recommend the Rider-Waite to anyone brand new to tarot, but thanks to the inclusion of this book, I’d say the Raven’s Prophecy could also be a good place to start.