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Casey
Casey, son of a siamese tomcat and a black farm cat, is an animal of great character and immense curiosity. Life at Wayman's Corner is never easy; natural hazards, urban visitors and human weakness combine to produce all kinds of emergencies.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
59 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Stranger
112 books29 followersPsuedonym of Joyce Muriel Wilson (1921–2007). Lived in Anglesey, Wales.
Trained as a biologist, specialising in animal behaviour, and tried her hand at dog training too. Not surprisingly, animal themes, especially relationships between human and animal feature in all of her books. She thought that the human-animal/human-nature relationship was extremely important and that a co-existence between the two could improve quality of life. She said "for many people an animal can provide a harmony lacking in day-to-day relationships with people."
Her books are not very anthropomorphic, deliberately so. She thought that many animal books, especially childrens were inaccurate or sentimental or humanised the animal and wanted her stories instead to "show how animals live in a world that is real to them"
They are definitely not sentimental either, many are quite downbeat. Disasters often strike her fictional worlds and her characters are often unhappy, guilt-stricken or remorseful. However they usually end on a more upbeat and optimistic note.
Ms. Stranger was one of the few authors to write horse stories aimed at adults. Most of her pony books are either adult or teenage stories.
Trained as a biologist, specialising in animal behaviour, and tried her hand at dog training too. Not surprisingly, animal themes, especially relationships between human and animal feature in all of her books. She thought that the human-animal/human-nature relationship was extremely important and that a co-existence between the two could improve quality of life. She said "for many people an animal can provide a harmony lacking in day-to-day relationships with people."
Her books are not very anthropomorphic, deliberately so. She thought that many animal books, especially childrens were inaccurate or sentimental or humanised the animal and wanted her stories instead to "show how animals live in a world that is real to them"
They are definitely not sentimental either, many are quite downbeat. Disasters often strike her fictional worlds and her characters are often unhappy, guilt-stricken or remorseful. However they usually end on a more upbeat and optimistic note.
Ms. Stranger was one of the few authors to write horse stories aimed at adults. Most of her pony books are either adult or teenage stories.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 6, 2018
Casey is a novel by Joyce Stranger from 1968, well before government quotas for farmers in this country. But all the same, it is a thoroughly depressing read.
The "Casey" of the title, is the son of a Siamese tomcat and a black farm cat. He was "born for trouble"; an animal with great determination, and a nose for mischief. An unexpected friendship developed between Casey and Sultan, a terrifying Jersey bull. This is the crux of the story about life on the farm at Wayman's Corner, but such a precis does not convey the timbre of the book.
Joyce Stranger trained as a biologist, specialising in animal behaviour. Relationships between humans and animals were a main part of all of her books. She considered that such relationships were extremely important saying, "for many people an animal can provide a harmony lacking in day-to-day relationships with people."
However if you are expecting a cosy read about animals, this is most definitely not for you. Her books are never anthropomorphic. She considered that many animal books, especially children's, were too sentimental. In her view they inaccurately humanised the animal. She wanted her stories instead to "show how animals live in a world that is real to them."
Casey is consistent with this view. If anything it veers the other way, being flagrantly manipulative in piling on disaster after disaster. Think "Hamlet blood-bath with animals" and you are not too far off the mark. The animals are given equal status as characters, and their feelings, experiences and attitudes are portrayed with some skill. But the novel is consistently downbeat. Disasters pile one on top of the other.
Joyce Stranger's characters are mostly unhappy, overwhelmed or guilt-stricken. There is marital friction, remorse and hatred. Two characters commit suicide. City visitors unthinkingly cause colossal damage and pain. Crisis after crisis eventually seems absurdly unrealistic and difficult for the reader to accept. Then nearing the end, there are a couple of small upbeat events, such as an unexpected litter of kittens. These are contrived, accidental rather than resulting from earlier events in the plot, and a mere device to end the novel on an optimistic note.
Having now read several of these novels, I doubt very much whether I will ever read another book by this author. It is a mystery to me why she was so popular. I cannot see what purpose these novels could ever achieve, or why she chose to use her skills to describe a way of life in such a destructive fashion. The reader does not learn great truths or insights from this novel. They are merely presented as entertainments; novels about country life. Underneath the daily events, this is the message,
"Waking held no promise. The wild trees keened their echo to his mourning and dark clouds hid the watchful moon."
Not for this reader.
The "Casey" of the title, is the son of a Siamese tomcat and a black farm cat. He was "born for trouble"; an animal with great determination, and a nose for mischief. An unexpected friendship developed between Casey and Sultan, a terrifying Jersey bull. This is the crux of the story about life on the farm at Wayman's Corner, but such a precis does not convey the timbre of the book.
Joyce Stranger trained as a biologist, specialising in animal behaviour. Relationships between humans and animals were a main part of all of her books. She considered that such relationships were extremely important saying, "for many people an animal can provide a harmony lacking in day-to-day relationships with people."
However if you are expecting a cosy read about animals, this is most definitely not for you. Her books are never anthropomorphic. She considered that many animal books, especially children's, were too sentimental. In her view they inaccurately humanised the animal. She wanted her stories instead to "show how animals live in a world that is real to them."
Casey is consistent with this view. If anything it veers the other way, being flagrantly manipulative in piling on disaster after disaster. Think "Hamlet blood-bath with animals" and you are not too far off the mark. The animals are given equal status as characters, and their feelings, experiences and attitudes are portrayed with some skill. But the novel is consistently downbeat. Disasters pile one on top of the other.
Joyce Stranger's characters are mostly unhappy, overwhelmed or guilt-stricken. There is marital friction, remorse and hatred. Two characters commit suicide. City visitors unthinkingly cause colossal damage and pain. Crisis after crisis eventually seems absurdly unrealistic and difficult for the reader to accept. Then nearing the end, there are a couple of small upbeat events, such as an unexpected litter of kittens. These are contrived, accidental rather than resulting from earlier events in the plot, and a mere device to end the novel on an optimistic note.
Having now read several of these novels, I doubt very much whether I will ever read another book by this author. It is a mystery to me why she was so popular. I cannot see what purpose these novels could ever achieve, or why she chose to use her skills to describe a way of life in such a destructive fashion. The reader does not learn great truths or insights from this novel. They are merely presented as entertainments; novels about country life. Underneath the daily events, this is the message,
"Waking held no promise. The wild trees keened their echo to his mourning and dark clouds hid the watchful moon."
Not for this reader.
September 11, 2011
the first grown up book I ever read loved it then and still love it.
April 9, 2017
Ms Stranger's books can be a little formulaic, but they are always touching.
April 22, 2025
Loved it, needed something simpler than my usual reads and although it’s not without grief, pain and distress it is still a gentle book and a reminder of the books I loved and devoured in my childhood.
December 19, 2019
Totally different story than I thought it would be OK story some sad parts in their but a happy ending
January 13, 2025
A dated love letter to an English rural past.
July 16, 2010
Joyce Stranger writes with feeling and sincerity. I love her animal stories - they are so good.
Back Cover Blurb:
Life at Wayman's Corner could never be dull. Crises lurked around every corner....marital friction, careless city visitors, farmyard accidents and Casey.
Casey, son of a Siamese tomcat and a black farmcat, was an animal with great determination, strong affections, and a nose for mischief, whose strange friendship with Sultan, the terrifying Jersey bull, becomes a central part of life on the farm....
Back Cover Blurb:
Life at Wayman's Corner could never be dull. Crises lurked around every corner....marital friction, careless city visitors, farmyard accidents and Casey.
Casey, son of a Siamese tomcat and a black farmcat, was an animal with great determination, strong affections, and a nose for mischief, whose strange friendship with Sultan, the terrifying Jersey bull, becomes a central part of life on the farm....
May 1, 2012
Very funny :)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews