Blood & Honey: Major Arcana Tarot Deck Explained

The Magician—Claud Deveraux

     Upright: determined, resourceful, strong and powerful man, dexterity, skilled

      Reversed: deceit, lack of energy, communication blocks, confusion, ill intentions

“I inspected him closer. Pinstriped pants. Paisley coat. Checkered bow tie. He’d thrown his top hat—tattered and maroon—on the table in front of him. Even to me, his outfit seemed . . . bizarre.”

Blood & Honey

The High Priestess—Cosette Monvoisin

     Upright: spiritual insight, hidden talents, intuition, things yet to be revealed, mystery

     Reversed: secrets, information withheld, lack of personal harmony

The Empress—Helene Labelle

     Upright: pregnancy, nurturing, abundance, maternal care, a new opportunity, stability

      Reversed: financial issues, stagnation, domestic problems, unwanted pregnancy

The Emperor—Auguste Lyon

     Upright: law and order, power, leadership, father figure, promotion, authority

      Reversed: loss of authority, immaturity, control freak, lack of discipline, manipulative friends

“Golden hair. Strong jaw. Piercing eyes. And a smile—a smile that disarmed all who looked upon it. He wielded it like a blade.”

Blood & Honey

The Hierophant—Florin Clément

Upright: seeking counsel or advice, marriage, tradition, religion, learning, spiritual guidance, education

Reversed: breakdown, rejection of family values, abuse of position, poor counsel

The Lovers—Louise le Blanc and Reid Diggory

      Upright: falling in love, commitment, choices, being at a crossroads, partnerships

      Reversed: separation, infidelity, relationship issues, broken relationship

The Chariot—Ansel Diggory

      Upright: overcoming obstacles, will power, drive, a journey, confidence, ambition

      Reversed: scattered energy, lack of direction, self doubt

Strength—Reid Diggory

      Upright: virility, inner strength, potency, vitality, confidence, self-belief, enjoying power

      Reversed: hedonism, self-doubt, lacking courage, lack of self-control, vanity

The Hermit—Célie Tremblay

      Upright: soul-searching, introspection, solitude, withdrawn from society, meditation, self-reflection

      Reversed: misfit, withdrawing from loved ones, exile, sadness, loneliness

“Even from a distance, I could tell the woman was beautiful: delicate and feminine; her porcelain skin and raven hair shone in the candlelight.”

Serpent & Dove

Wheel of Fortune—Zenna Rey and Seraphine Lane

      Upright: changes, opportunity, luck, destiny, winning, chance

      Reversed: mishap, unforeseen setback, bad luck, misfortune, disappointment

“She wore a peculiar cloak. Deep purple. Perhaps blue. It glittered with what looked like stars. Constellations.”

Blood & Honey

Justice—Jean Luc Toussaint

      Upright: fairness, justice, cause and effect, balance and equilibrium, responsibility

      Reversed: lack of accountability, unfair treatment, dishonesty, legal flaws, imbalance

The Hanged Man—Beauregard Lyon

      Upright: letting go, breaking old patterns, circumspection, suspension, metamorphosis

      Reversed: missing an opportunity, inability to change, egotism

Death—Morgane le Blanc

      Upright: endings, severe illness, profound change, letting go of attachments, failure, morality

      Reversed: living unaware, depression, long term illness, resistance to change, delayed endings

“Her hair wasn’t even black in her natural form, but a peculiar shade of blond. Almost white. Or silver.”

Serpent & Dove

Temperance—Toulouse and Toulouse St. Martin

      Upright: connecting with your guides, balance, moderation, harmony, alchemy, looking for divine intervention

      Reversed: disharmony, imbalance, onset of illness, lack of patience

The Devil—Nicholina le Claire

      Upright: temptation, unhealthy relationships, enslavement, materialism, bondage, fear, feeling trapped

      Reversed: freedom from restraints, breaking from addictions, divorce

“The woman’s face split into a slow, cruel grin, revealing bloodstained teeth.”

Blood & Honey

The Tower—Josephine Monvoisin, “La Voisin”

      Upright: unexpected change, renovation, catastrophe, destruction, accident or damage

      Reversed: obstacles, volatile situation, losses, illness

The Star—Babette Dubuisson

      Upright: good health, opportunities, spirituality, astronomy, inspiration, hope

      Reversed: despair, missed opportunities, disappointments, illness

The Moon—Bastien St. Pierre

      Upright: Difficult period, insecurity, mental confusion, deception, hidden things, fear  

      Reversed: unhappiness, release of fear, insomnia, unusual dreams, mysteries revealed

The Sun—Gabrielle Gilly

      Upright: joy, enlightenment, material happiness, marriage, success, vitality

      Reversed: false impressions, lack of clarity, low vitality, sadness

Judgement—Blaise, Liana, and Terrance Leloup

      Upright: decision making, transition, renewal, redemption, awakening, reincarnation

      Reversed: stagnation, self-doubt, poor logic, poor or hasty judgement

The World—Victoire and Violette Lyon

      Upright: successful conclusions, possibilities, fulfillment, achievement

      Reversed: delayed success, lack of completion, stagnation, failed plans

The Fool—Louise le Blanc

      Upright: beginnings, spontaneity, originality, innocence, leap of faith

      Reversed: naivety, poor judgement, folly, lack of direction, stupidity, chaos