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The Fantod Pack
Edward Gorey’s trademark sense of impending doom is nowhere more darkly humorous than in this, his version of a tarot card deck. Each of the 20 cards forecasts a list of outcomes for the user ranging from the merely unpleasant (loss of hair, breakage, thwarted ambitions) to the downright horrible (catarrh, spasms, shriveling). The 32-page booklet provides interpretation of the cards courtesy of one Madame Groeda Weyrd, who Gorey tells us “is of mixed Finnish and Egyptian extraction, has devoted her life to divination, and is the author of, among a shelf of other works, Floating Tambourines, a collection of esoteric verse, and The Future Speaks Through Entrails.” Who but Gorey to make mirth from a kaleidoscope of catastrophe?
20 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
1 person is currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Edward Gorey
484 books2,034 followersBorn in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 7, 2019
Caveat: I am aware that TECHNICALLY a card deck isn’t a book. That said, there IS an accompanying 32-page booklet that gives descriptions of each card and provides instructions for use thereof. And besides, “The Fantod Pack” was already in the Goodreads database, thus making it fair game for a review. And in the end, and most importantly, I just wanted to review it. Because I like it. So there. Caveat finis.
I have had an interest in divination decks and oracles for as long as I have had an interest in esoteric subjects. I own a lot of different Tarot decks, and I have recently been digging into the possibilities of using regular 52-card poker decks as useful tools of the art. Now to be fair, and to establish some groundwork to the subject, I do not ascribe any sort of supernatural properties to the cards. That said, I find them to be an excellent way to get purposeful conversations going that may lead a person to valuable insights that they might not have come across through more conventional means. There are a lot of arcane symbols on Tarot cards and other types of divination decks, and even the traditional poker deck contains hidden meanings that can be ferreted out with practice. All of those Jungian archetypes can be quite fun to play with. I’ve long lost count of how many times I have had enjoyable and fruitful readings with people, some with serious questions, some with whimsical queries.
Now it’s important to note that Tarot cards or other sorts of oracles should NEVER be confused with or used as therapeutic tools. Therapy should be left to professionals who are educated and licensed to practice in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.
And so now we come to the subject of this review, “The Fantod Pack.” Authored and drawn by Edward Gorey, the pack is a sly homage and perhaps a bit of a satire on traditional divination decks.
Edward Gorey, of course, was well suited to conceive of and illustrate a card deck. His pen-and-ink drawings have always captured that unsettling presence that lies somewhere just behind the curtains in our subconscious. Typically associated with gothic Edwardian and Victorian motifs, his work ranged from children’s illustration to critically acclaimed surrealist art. Gorey’s compositions appeal to a fairly small segment of the populace who appreciate his devotion to the macabre, and I would think that only those already familiar with his oeuvre would have any interest at all in acquiring “The Fantod Pack.”
What you get here is a collection of twenty cards, each drawn with Gorey’s distinctive style and given titles such as “The Limb,” “The Stones,” and “The Urn.” Each illustration is printed on heavy card stock with a glossy finish. The little booklet and the cards all come in a fancy little box that announces the pack with subdued fanfare.
The booklet itself is a delicious addition to the set. Ascribed to one of Gorey’s pseudonyms, one Madame Groeda Weyrd, the guidebook gives detailed divinatory meanings for each card along with instructions on how to cast the deck to get the best results. So of course, rather than shuffle the deck and deal in some straightforward fashion as with other decks, with “The Fantod Pack” one must:
“Shuffle the pack and take it in your left hand. Stand in the center of a sparsely furnished room and close your eyes. Fling the pack into the air. Keep your eyes closed. Pick up five cards from the floor, keeping them in order.”
From that point on the reading goes on much it does with any other oracle deck. Cards are placed in a specific order and interpreted as to the particular meanings ascribed to each image. The typical Tarot or Lenormand deck will have multiple meanings for each card, which can be understood as either good or bad or neutral depending on the placement within the grid or the nature of the question asked. Not so with “The Fantod Pack.” Each and every card interpretation of Gorey’s creation can only be read in terms of negative consequences, ranging from slight dread to outright disaster for the questioner. Each card is also associated with either a particular day of the week or month of the year. All of this is perfectly in keeping with Gorey’s traditional left-of-spooky representations of those things that lurk under the beds and in the closets of our subconscious. The illustrations on each card are spare and disturbing, each one hinting at the calamity that lies with each turn of the spread.
Most of the cards are full of the typical Gorey tongue-in-cheek macabre whimsy. But there is one card that foretells actual fright, and induces real goosebumps when introduced into a reading. That card is the truly sinister “Black Doll.” Armless and misshapen, the image carries with it only a single, ominous explanation:
“In the words of the old rhyme: What most you fear is coming near.”
As a bonus, you can expand your vocabulary quite a bit with “The Fantod Pack.” Gorey has always introduced obscure words into his lexicon and you, like me, can Google words like “cafard” and “imbroglios” and “chilblains” to your heart’s content. These eldritch words appear in the card descriptions offered by the mysterious Madame Weyrd. The word "fantod" itself has an unsettling meaning....you must dare to look it up.
I would not suggest trying to do much in the way of actual practical application with these cards. It’s a fun deck and it’s interesting to play with, but I would be hard-pressed to think of performing an actual card reading session using “The Fantod Pack.” It could be great fun at a Halloween party perhaps, but the one-dimensional nature of the card interpretations makes it difficult to imagine using this as anything but a novelty deck. That said, it gets a solid five stars from me on the strength of that novelty alone. As a work of pure pastiche it really doesn’t get any better than this. It’s a deck of high quality, from the card stock to the booklet to the lovingly crafted illustrations. It’s pure Gorey, and as a longtime fan I wouldn’t want to be without this fine addition to my cartomancy shelf.
I have had an interest in divination decks and oracles for as long as I have had an interest in esoteric subjects. I own a lot of different Tarot decks, and I have recently been digging into the possibilities of using regular 52-card poker decks as useful tools of the art. Now to be fair, and to establish some groundwork to the subject, I do not ascribe any sort of supernatural properties to the cards. That said, I find them to be an excellent way to get purposeful conversations going that may lead a person to valuable insights that they might not have come across through more conventional means. There are a lot of arcane symbols on Tarot cards and other types of divination decks, and even the traditional poker deck contains hidden meanings that can be ferreted out with practice. All of those Jungian archetypes can be quite fun to play with. I’ve long lost count of how many times I have had enjoyable and fruitful readings with people, some with serious questions, some with whimsical queries.
Now it’s important to note that Tarot cards or other sorts of oracles should NEVER be confused with or used as therapeutic tools. Therapy should be left to professionals who are educated and licensed to practice in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.
And so now we come to the subject of this review, “The Fantod Pack.” Authored and drawn by Edward Gorey, the pack is a sly homage and perhaps a bit of a satire on traditional divination decks.
Edward Gorey, of course, was well suited to conceive of and illustrate a card deck. His pen-and-ink drawings have always captured that unsettling presence that lies somewhere just behind the curtains in our subconscious. Typically associated with gothic Edwardian and Victorian motifs, his work ranged from children’s illustration to critically acclaimed surrealist art. Gorey’s compositions appeal to a fairly small segment of the populace who appreciate his devotion to the macabre, and I would think that only those already familiar with his oeuvre would have any interest at all in acquiring “The Fantod Pack.”
What you get here is a collection of twenty cards, each drawn with Gorey’s distinctive style and given titles such as “The Limb,” “The Stones,” and “The Urn.” Each illustration is printed on heavy card stock with a glossy finish. The little booklet and the cards all come in a fancy little box that announces the pack with subdued fanfare.
The booklet itself is a delicious addition to the set. Ascribed to one of Gorey’s pseudonyms, one Madame Groeda Weyrd, the guidebook gives detailed divinatory meanings for each card along with instructions on how to cast the deck to get the best results. So of course, rather than shuffle the deck and deal in some straightforward fashion as with other decks, with “The Fantod Pack” one must:
“Shuffle the pack and take it in your left hand. Stand in the center of a sparsely furnished room and close your eyes. Fling the pack into the air. Keep your eyes closed. Pick up five cards from the floor, keeping them in order.”
From that point on the reading goes on much it does with any other oracle deck. Cards are placed in a specific order and interpreted as to the particular meanings ascribed to each image. The typical Tarot or Lenormand deck will have multiple meanings for each card, which can be understood as either good or bad or neutral depending on the placement within the grid or the nature of the question asked. Not so with “The Fantod Pack.” Each and every card interpretation of Gorey’s creation can only be read in terms of negative consequences, ranging from slight dread to outright disaster for the questioner. Each card is also associated with either a particular day of the week or month of the year. All of this is perfectly in keeping with Gorey’s traditional left-of-spooky representations of those things that lurk under the beds and in the closets of our subconscious. The illustrations on each card are spare and disturbing, each one hinting at the calamity that lies with each turn of the spread.
Most of the cards are full of the typical Gorey tongue-in-cheek macabre whimsy. But there is one card that foretells actual fright, and induces real goosebumps when introduced into a reading. That card is the truly sinister “Black Doll.” Armless and misshapen, the image carries with it only a single, ominous explanation:
“In the words of the old rhyme: What most you fear is coming near.”
As a bonus, you can expand your vocabulary quite a bit with “The Fantod Pack.” Gorey has always introduced obscure words into his lexicon and you, like me, can Google words like “cafard” and “imbroglios” and “chilblains” to your heart’s content. These eldritch words appear in the card descriptions offered by the mysterious Madame Weyrd. The word "fantod" itself has an unsettling meaning....you must dare to look it up.
I would not suggest trying to do much in the way of actual practical application with these cards. It’s a fun deck and it’s interesting to play with, but I would be hard-pressed to think of performing an actual card reading session using “The Fantod Pack.” It could be great fun at a Halloween party perhaps, but the one-dimensional nature of the card interpretations makes it difficult to imagine using this as anything but a novelty deck. That said, it gets a solid five stars from me on the strength of that novelty alone. As a work of pure pastiche it really doesn’t get any better than this. It’s a deck of high quality, from the card stock to the booklet to the lovingly crafted illustrations. It’s pure Gorey, and as a longtime fan I wouldn’t want to be without this fine addition to my cartomancy shelf.
June 30, 2018
Edward Gorey is famous for horror picture books largely directed to young people of all ages. Okay, this is not technically a "book" in the usual sense of the word, but Goodreads lists it, I saw that Michael Jandrok had reviewed it, and finally bought it. There are people who shall not be named in my house (and also friends) who engage in Tarot card readings for fun and a sort of enlightenment. I take the analysis to be a kind of occasion for a) laughs and 2) sometimes occasional conversation about life anxieties of various kinds.
So how would Gorey's "Tarot" or fortune-telling pack of cards (with 32 page accompanying booklet to help you read them) be a different contribution to prescience? Well, if you know Gorey, EVERY card foretells doom. Hilarious and ingenious and gorgeously drawn. Includes the invention of mysterious archetypes such as The Yellow Bird and The Limb.
Here's a few images of the cards:
https://www.amazon.com/Fantod-Pack-Ed...
Here's an example of the analysis of one card:
The Blue Dog: October, loss of one's senses, weltschmerz, unnatural vice, disorders of the knew, diseases of the tongue, disturbances, miscarriage of a child, an accident in a garage, dementia, fraud, a quarrel, wispiness.
Was released in a limited edition in 1995 and quickly sold out, but was rereleased in 2007, so you can easily get it. A gift for the fortune-teller in your house!
So how would Gorey's "Tarot" or fortune-telling pack of cards (with 32 page accompanying booklet to help you read them) be a different contribution to prescience? Well, if you know Gorey, EVERY card foretells doom. Hilarious and ingenious and gorgeously drawn. Includes the invention of mysterious archetypes such as The Yellow Bird and The Limb.
Here's a few images of the cards:
https://www.amazon.com/Fantod-Pack-Ed...
Here's an example of the analysis of one card:
The Blue Dog: October, loss of one's senses, weltschmerz, unnatural vice, disorders of the knew, diseases of the tongue, disturbances, miscarriage of a child, an accident in a garage, dementia, fraud, a quarrel, wispiness.
Was released in a limited edition in 1995 and quickly sold out, but was rereleased in 2007, so you can easily get it. A gift for the fortune-teller in your house!
May 28, 2015
discomfort
an extra sock
bathroom floors
the missing ceiling
Tuesday
framed artwork
lint
an extra sock
bathroom floors
the missing ceiling
Tuesday
framed artwork
lint
March 18, 2020
Easy to read guide with 20 sturdy cards. They have a glossy finish and seem like they would be able to withstand heavy use. The booklet suggests throwing them in the air and picking up five for drawing. The booklet was simple and to the point. Pretty much finished it in less than 10 minutes. A short little story about the cards is provided with keywords and dates for association with each card. Only one star off because I am used to tarot where there is no such thing as a good or bad card but the definitions here all portend bad. I think I will personally be giving more balanced interpretations since I can also see good symbolism on some of the concepts, but knowing Edward Gorey, I probably should have known that “good” outcomes was not something the official interpretation would apply to. Lol.
October 9, 2020
This is a very small 20 card Edward Gorey oracle deck -- ostensibly created by Madame Groeda Weyrd, a Finnish/Egyptian divinator and author of Floating Tambourines and The Future Speaks Through Entrails.
So, basically, *exactly* what you'd expect of an Edward Gorey oracle deck.
The guidebook is surprisingly thick, 32 pages, and I'll be real with you, even though some of each card's meanings are very, very random (Wednesday, catarrh, frustrated ambitions, etc.) but I will also say this deck is SURPRISINGLY accurate. For example, the last time I used it in a reading at the end of the day and the meaning of one of the cards I pulled included "loss of jewelry." Earlier in the day, I'd lost one of my favorite earrings. This has happened more than once.
The deck is really high quality, the box is lidded and sturdy, the guidebook is saddle stapled and on heavy card stock, and the card themselves are sturdy and glossy. The corners are quite sharp, however, and the cards are more narrow than a standard deck, so shuffling it is a unique experience.
If you love the Gashleycrumb Tinies and tarot, you'll love this deck.
So, basically, *exactly* what you'd expect of an Edward Gorey oracle deck.
The guidebook is surprisingly thick, 32 pages, and I'll be real with you, even though some of each card's meanings are very, very random (Wednesday, catarrh, frustrated ambitions, etc.) but I will also say this deck is SURPRISINGLY accurate. For example, the last time I used it in a reading at the end of the day and the meaning of one of the cards I pulled included "loss of jewelry." Earlier in the day, I'd lost one of my favorite earrings. This has happened more than once.
The deck is really high quality, the box is lidded and sturdy, the guidebook is saddle stapled and on heavy card stock, and the card themselves are sturdy and glossy. The corners are quite sharp, however, and the cards are more narrow than a standard deck, so shuffling it is a unique experience.
If you love the Gashleycrumb Tinies and tarot, you'll love this deck.
February 6, 2019
In the latter part of his career, Gorey produced fewer books, but experimented with other ways of presenting his work, such as this pack of divination cards.
The 20 cards come with a booklet by 'Madame Groeda Weyrd' explaining how to use them, and which is clearly a spoof of Alistair Crowley's instructions for the tarot in his The Book of Thoth.
Use Gorey's cards at your peril - all the predictions are awful! Darkly humorous, as always.
The 20 cards come with a booklet by 'Madame Groeda Weyrd' explaining how to use them, and which is clearly a spoof of Alistair Crowley's instructions for the tarot in his The Book of Thoth.
Use Gorey's cards at your peril - all the predictions are awful! Darkly humorous, as always.
June 10, 2020
The booklet describing how to "read" the Fantod cards is a slight little thing. The cards are lovely, though, strange and cryptic. We've had fun telling one another's fortune which has required looking up words like "cataahr". We've even told the cat's fortune.
Desperate for novelty, and it shows. Enough practice and we'll have a fun sideline.
So very personal
Desperate for novelty, and it shows. Enough practice and we'll have a fun sideline.
So very personal
April 10, 2020
This really isn't a book, as such, but it is typical Gorey. Expanding into new ways to produce his work, here he puts his unique mark onto a traditional tarot set. The 20 cards have typical Gorey artwork and I particularly liked the burning head and the effigy. The accompanying booklet describes the macabre origins of the deck, how to use it and what each card represents. Do you dare find out what you future holds?!
November 11, 2024
Pros: The cards are quite sturdy, the art is great, the booklet is an excellent parody, and I learned lots of new words.
Cons: I drew the Black Doll for my fifth card, which symbolizes the future. Its meaning is, "What you fear is coming near," which, given the election results was very..."I just wanted to be a little silly and you made me sad."
Cons: I drew the Black Doll for my fifth card, which symbolizes the future. Its meaning is, "What you fear is coming near," which, given the election results was very..."I just wanted to be a little silly and you made me sad."
October 1, 2017
This deck revealed to me my future, immediate and distant, and all the horrifically terrible things to come. Thank you, Madame Weyrd, for enlightening me thusly.
Contains 20 illustrated cards by some dreadful Gorey fellow, plus insightful interpretations of their calamitous meanings.
Contains 20 illustrated cards by some dreadful Gorey fellow, plus insightful interpretations of their calamitous meanings.
September 11, 2019
i use this deck each summer on fantastagorey day when i give readings at the edward gorey house museum & i'm always amazed at how accurate the predictions are! amazing!
March 27, 2020
Best deck ever!!
November 10, 2021
it’s cute but really all the work is in your hands if you want to use it fr fr :/ the art is super cute tho
June 24, 2023
Today I read the 30 page booklet and all twenty cards. Tomorrow I’ll play the “game”. I like Edward Gorey and his quirky sense of humor and recommend him to anyone likeminded or a wannabe.
August 17, 2024
A wonderful collection of witty and macabre drawings and lyrics
March 18, 2024
A booklet which could be considered a gentle, witty mockery to the typical tarot deck booklets which suggest that they can predict the future. Although Edward Gorey's works are intended for a children's audience (a very gothic children's audience), it certainly welcomes warmly adult audiences as well, which is why I have always appreciated him.
The word "sexual" to describe something disastrous coming for the individual (such as "sexual inadequacy", "a sexual problem") is mentioned multiple times. I am pretty sure anyone who knows about Gorey's life can attribute this to his asexuality (if you own it, see for yourself that it is mentioned in almost every card interpretation).
I'd like to consider this a very atmospheric pack which, by playing with it, puts you in the mood for all the great things that the fall literary theme includes (darkness, gloomy days full of rain, uncertainty, mystery, transition, windy nights and fallen leaves, monsters, ghosts, spirits, poltergeists, you name it). A great conversation opener.
The word "sexual" to describe something disastrous coming for the individual (such as "sexual inadequacy", "a sexual problem") is mentioned multiple times. I am pretty sure anyone who knows about Gorey's life can attribute this to his asexuality (if you own it, see for yourself that it is mentioned in almost every card interpretation).
I'd like to consider this a very atmospheric pack which, by playing with it, puts you in the mood for all the great things that the fall literary theme includes (darkness, gloomy days full of rain, uncertainty, mystery, transition, windy nights and fallen leaves, monsters, ghosts, spirits, poltergeists, you name it). A great conversation opener.
November 14, 2011
Gorey captures a true spirit of divination with 21 of his drawings reprinted on cards that fall somewhere between European tarot and Mexican loteria. Ominous on their own, the accompanying guide navigates one through a maze of maladies, forgeries, accidents and ills. A total delight for any occasion.
December 28, 2013
Oh boy! Surprised to find The Fantod Pack on Goodreads. I adore Edward Gorey and lost my old pack of Fantod Cards. For the last several years on New Years Eve a group of neighborhood chicks get together for Pimm's No. 1 Cups and I read our fortunes for the coming year. As I have misplaced my deck I need to order one pretty damn quick. A ten star "read".
November 5, 2014
Awesome, but not really a book. Gorey's version of a tarot deck. Delightfully weird and totally original--just like everything else Gorey ever did. The directions say to toss the desk in the air and randomly choose five cards. And then the fun begins...
April 8, 2023
Rereading Edward Gorey 2023. The Fantod Pack is a bit of mystery all coiled up to provide solace, or import the darkest doom. Before you ask....do you really want to know the answers you seek?
May 27, 2009
Sure- not a real deck to read from, but a lot of fun to look at!
August 2, 2009
Amazing creepy awesomeness!
Want to read
August 21, 2014WANT!!
Read
March 4, 2018My favorites are, in order: the yellow bird, the ladder, the feather, the stones
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews