fortunate

by Kim Rashidi

first edition rendering of fortunate. out of print.

Genres: Poetry, Tarot, Spirituality, Divination, Nonfiction

164 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2022

About the author

Kim Rashidi explores the cosmos through her words and has a soft spot for capturing love and life in the mundane. Writing about the lives, cities, and timelines that mirror back the romantic, she weaves reality with imagined possibilities. She holds an MA in English literature and is based in Toronto.

Reviews

[Tee Lundrigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not at all what I expected and was quite disappointed. This could have been written in a better way.

[Skyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed taking my time reading this. The poetry itself was beautiful, however, I have difficulty reviewing the poetry itself as it can be deeply personal at times. I have a surface-level understanding of tarot, so while I do not believe that I am the target audience for this book, I enjoyed it nonetheless. The poems flowed beautifully from one to another; each being somehow distinct from the rest.

While there is an index at the back of the book, it could have benefitted from having keywords (perhaps under the cards' names?) that sort of sum up or represent what each card means so as to give a little insight to the cards. This is just a little thing. As I am a naturally curious person, I found myself reading this on one screen while having Google open on my laptop so that I can look into what each card is meant to represent. This helped me see the overall picture of each poem if the meaning was a bit hazy or unclear.

One of the poems that really stood out to me was “The Devil”. I'm a sucker for poetry that has visual representations of the theme/words themselves. I believe the latter half of the book contains a few others with interesting visual setups, but this is the one that really called to me. The duality of the "two choices" and "two people" really got solidified with the branching lines on the left and right.

Overall this book felt very inviting and mysterious! I particularly enjoyed how the little blurb at the beginning invites the reader to “take part” in this art form by providing us with blank pages to fill. It really makes me as the reader feel as if I am part of this journey through tarot.

[Mandy Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarot cards have been used throughout the ages for gaming and fortune-telling, but their symbolism suggests a deeper purpose–to gain insight into the human mind, and enhance our own personal development. Some people read fortunes to gain insight into the future, but I believe tarot provides much more insight into the reader themselves. The cards provide us with excellent advice at any juncture and, if taken to heart, can help us to understand ourselves better and plan how to live better in the future.

“Tarot cards … can serve as an advisor and help in widening the users’ vision. Tarot cards are deemed as a map of life, or a signpost, to tell you how to lead a good and correct life.”

–Royal Thai Tarot, Sungkom Horharin
I began my journey with Fortunate by using the book for diving for a few days. Each morning I would open to a random page, and read it as if pulling a tarot card for my days fortune.

I like that this book of poetry pairs so well with any tarot deck–you could even use them in place of pulling cards! Flipping through the pages of this book mimics the act of shuffling a deck of cards, making the experience of reading this book just as magical as if you were pulling for a spread.

This is an amazing supplement to any Tarot reader’s collection. Some of the interpretations do not line up with the traditional RWS Tarot meanings, but that’s the great thing about readings–they can be interpreted many different ways and it is always interesting to think about the meanings in a new way.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Universal for sending me a free Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of this title. All opinions are my own.

[Ken Foxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was so cool, as one who is really savvy in tarot card readings I thought this was a masterpiece. Did I love everything about it? No, but I loved the structure, the way every poem really aligned with how each card is actually represented during a reading. I think my favorite part of this book was how positive everything was, even when a card can symbolize maybe something negative, the author still took that card's meaning and pulled something positive from this. I will definitely be buying this when it hits the shelves.

[Judy Croome · Rating 3 out of 5]

As both a poet and a tarot reader, “Fortunate:Tarot Poetry” interested me. There were some unusual interpretations of the cards; and some lovely poems although perhaps, at times, the use of poetic devices could have been more consciously applied.

For me, “Fortunate” may have benefited more from a theme that unified the poetry with the tarot interpretations.

I found the way to get the best from this book was to use it for a daily bibliomancy inspiration - the index at the back with the cards ordered by major, then minor, arcana was a great help in selecting a couple of readings daily.

[Allyson Lavoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful poetry for Tarot readers. Kim Rashidi wrote a poem for all 78 cards in a traditional Tarot deck. My only complaint is that they are in a completely random order so it is hard to find any specific one. 10/10 recommend to anyone who loves poetry and Tarot.

[Kjersti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad I got this book. I love thumbing through the pages and landing somewhere random. The insights found in these poems are simple yet poignant.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for this amazing book of poetry. I love anything to do with tarot, and this made me see some cards in a new light. I felt like the first poem was written just for me. It spoke to my soul. I can't wait for my next reading and to use this to help with interpretations! Must read for all lovers of tarot.

[Bek (MoonyReadsByStarlight) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've used this for probably a year and a half or more at this point as a reference when I use tarot cards. So I haven't read it cover to cover, but I've read most if not all of it. I love what it adds when I use it in my readings.

[Mady Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute read of poems about tarot cards! Love that you can flip to any page to get some guidance!

[Lyndi Warburton · Rating 4 out of 5]

read it front to back- not sure if that’s the intended use but it i did that! i’ll be using this as a reference in my tarot readings, it was a nice medium

[Winnie | Her Digital Coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortunate is a poetry book inspired by tarot cards. Each poem correlates with a specific card in the major and minor arcana. Rashidi encourages readers to use this book in their tarot readings and interpret each piece in ways that speak to us.

I love this concept idea for poetry. I enjoy tarot reading and this book gives great insight on each card and its meaning. I’m still familiarizing myself with certain cards and these poems allow for a different way to view and memorize them. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and utilize this book in my readings. I highly recommend this book for all tarot lovers. Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[riss · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked the idea of a poem for each card and a space to “co-author” something beside each one. For the most part I enjoyed it, but sometimes the language felt a bit pretentious and just as “mysterious” as the tarot deck itself. The pacing of the poems felt a little off as well. It took me way longer than usual to read this book. It was a decent enough read, but not something I would seriously use in practice or reread.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for this refreshing poetry collection~

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a digital ARC for review~

This was an interesting collection of 78 poems that are based off of the Major and Minor Arcana of tarot. I thought they were all very interesting and tied into the cards well - I think that this would be nice to complement a tarot card reading.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little book. All the cards are out of order so opening it to a random page is like a message on its own. There are also blank pages next to all the poems for writing down your own thoughts. It's small enough to carry around as a frequent traveler.

[TheReadingAngel · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5/5

Fortunate by Kim Rashidi is a collection of poems each based on a tarot card. If you’re already in to new age or are just wanting to try it out, I think this is a great addition to your home.

I read this as an ebook but I think having a physical copy of this would be perfect. You can flip to any random page when you need guidance, not needing to read this book in order. I think this would be really fun and nice to have around the house.

The poems themselves are really great too. They correlate well with their cards and overall I feel happier reading them. Rashidi does a great job in portraying the feelings of each card (non-reverse only) while also having her own poetic voice stand out.

I’m looking forward to buying a physical copy for myself and some friends.

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for reading in the morning with a cup of coffee. I read a NetGalley ARC of the book, but will definitely be purchasing a paperback copy (for myself & a friend of mine). I would love to be able to pick this up & flip through & pick a random page every day & use the empty pages to jot down notes or poems of my own.

I read this with my Tarot deck out, matching up the cards to the poems. It was a lovely little meditation time. If you enjoy tarot at all this is a perfect addition to your collection.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for review

So. Many. Platitudes.

I really wish this book lived up to its concept. Poetry based on tarot cards is a great idea, but it's executed with so little imagination here. Every poem reads like a vague, optimistic horoscope, which just doesn't make for a great reading experience. It's much too simplified and lacks emotional power. Furthermore, the whole thing is so insistently upbeat that it smacks of toxic positivity culture. In sum, an entirely skippable book.

[Bea (beansbookshelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

I was very excited about this book, since it's related to tarot. I haven't read many tarot books, but I'm interested in this type of literature. However, this book just didn't work for me. This is not a critique to the author, but I just couldn't related to it somehow. Rating: 3/5 stars.

[Sharren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words always moved me albeit having nothing to do with the metaphysical aspects of our human body. We invented and use words to describe our Being, seemingly trying to make sense of our world. Nevertheless, would I try to reject these precious things humans have molded, for it is the very meaning of life after all.

[Christina Vourcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Poetry

I think it is amazing how these poems match each Tarot card. I read it the way through, but I plan to go through and read a poem or two in more like pulling out Tarot cards. I know I’ll be coming back to this book.

[Flor Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

a beautiful, spiritually enlightening poetry collection to soothe your questioning soul… definitely a beautiful alternative to tarot reading <3

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection...

[The Canadian Book Worm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it were organized by major Arcana, minor Arcana and ascending or descending number, to make it easier to find the poem to match your reading.

But the poems themselves are beautiful.

[Béatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would have been great and more smooth to have the pictures of the card witch their poem

[Tegan Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best poetry book I've read

[Megan Schici · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this so much and so does everyone I show it too. Brilliant layout and spot on for each card.

[Izzabella ☆]

bought in london, read/used on that trip in london for my birthday. continue to use - a fun way of observing/understanding tarot cards.

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love poetry and Tarot then this is for you! This is an amazing supplement to any Tarot reader’s arsenal. The only reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that quite a few of the interpretations did not line up with the traditional RWS Tarot meanings. Although there’s nothing wrong with another perspective, I can see it causing confusion for beginners.