What do you think?
Rate this book
The Key to the Kingdom:Transformation Playing Cards and Companion Volume
"The Key to the Kingdom" presents a variation on the theme of transformation cards. Each card in the Enchanted Deck of playing cards illustrates a traditional rhyme or verse. The designs are repeated in the companion volume, accompanied by the verses that inspired them.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1992
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 5, 2026
The Key to the Kingdom – An Enchanted Deck by Tony Meeuwissen is a charming little book, filled with beautiful, quirky, and witty poems that accompany a deck of cards adorned with extraordinary and unconventional artwork. Each card vividly captures its suit and symbolism through imaginative fine art, creating a delightful fusion of literature and visual storytelling.
Fans of Jabberwocky will feel right at home, as the deck carries a similar sense of playful surrealism and linguistic charm. There are echoes of C. S. Lewis in its whimsical depth, and artistically, each card tells its own story, inviting reflection and interpretation. The poems that sit alongside each piece are truly lovely, enhancing the imagery and leaving a lasting impression.
Fans of Jabberwocky will feel right at home, as the deck carries a similar sense of playful surrealism and linguistic charm. There are echoes of C. S. Lewis in its whimsical depth, and artistically, each card tells its own story, inviting reflection and interpretation. The poems that sit alongside each piece are truly lovely, enhancing the imagery and leaving a lasting impression.
May 11, 2017
This is a beautiful little book. It contains prints of the 53 Key to the Kingdom cards. The prints are arranged in numerical order A, 2-10, J, Q, K, but not sorted by suit. There is a relevant poem on the page facing each print. Twenty four authors are listed for the poems.
The cards have the right markings to used as a regular playing deck but the art is unusual.
"The landmarks are the same, but the scenery is somehow different." (from the inside front dust cover.)
I knew that Tarot decks had evolved from the old playing decks, that often had cards we do not see today. But I was not aware of the 200 year old tradition of "transformative decks". Fanciful designs where "the symbols became the jumping off point for artistic fantasy". (6p)
This is an interesting addition to my collection.
The cards have the right markings to used as a regular playing deck but the art is unusual.
"The landmarks are the same, but the scenery is somehow different." (from the inside front dust cover.)
I knew that Tarot decks had evolved from the old playing decks, that often had cards we do not see today. But I was not aware of the 200 year old tradition of "transformative decks". Fanciful designs where "the symbols became the jumping off point for artistic fantasy". (6p)
This is an interesting addition to my collection.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews