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Light a Penny Candle
A story of friendship and love from the bestselling author of Circle of Friends.
Evacuated from Blitz-battered London, shy and genteel Elizabeth White is sent to stay with the boisterous O'Connors in Kilgarret, Ireland. It is the beginning of an unshakeable bond between Elizabeth and Aisling O'Connor, a friendship which will endure through twenty turbulent years of change and chaos, joy and sorrow, soaring dreams and searing betrayals...
Writing with warmth, wit and great compassion, Maeve Binchy tells a magnificent story of the lives and loves of two women, bound together in a friendship that nothing could tear asunder - not even the man who threatened to come between them forever.
823 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1982
1214 people are currently reading
6818 people want to read
About the author
Maeve Binchy
258 books5,008 followersAnne Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist, and speaker. Her novels were characterised by a sympathetic and often humorous portrayal of small-town life in Ireland, and surprise endings. Her novels, which were translated into 37 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her death at age 73, announced by Vincent Browne on Irish television late on 30 July 2012, was mourned as the death of one of Ireland's best-loved and most recognisable writers.
She appeared in the US market, featuring on The New York Times Best Seller list and in Oprah's Book Club. Recognised for her "total absence of malice" and generosity to other writers, she finished third in a 2000 poll for World Book Day, ahead of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Stephen King.
She appeared in the US market, featuring on The New York Times Best Seller list and in Oprah's Book Club. Recognised for her "total absence of malice" and generosity to other writers, she finished third in a 2000 poll for World Book Day, ahead of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Stephen King.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,042 reviews
October 1, 2007
This was my first Binchy and I absolutely loved it until the last couple of chapters.
I felt perhaps since this was Binchy's first published book, maybe she struggled with how to end it. The main characters seemed to be "out of character" in the last few chapters and a lot of the way it ended didn't fit with the rest of the story.
I felt perhaps since this was Binchy's first published book, maybe she struggled with how to end it. The main characters seemed to be "out of character" in the last few chapters and a lot of the way it ended didn't fit with the rest of the story.
March 13, 2018
While I did enjoy Binchy's writing and her beautiful character development, the beginning of the book was far more enjoyable than the latter part which did just seem to drag on and on. I feel that this book would have served the reader a better experience with more enjoyment had it been broken down into a trilogy. More a 3.5 than a 4 but I always round up my star ratings. 😊
March 24, 2013
Ovo je prvi roman Mev Binči a ujedno i prvi koji sam pročitala... Ovom knjigom me je "kupila" i zadržala doživotno... :)
December 2, 2023
Catching up…
Back in my RV days I selected this book to take on the road with me to read. I figured that it’s 582 pages would keep me occupied for those long drives!
What I remember about this book…
A delightful story of two women over their lifetime.
Cozy, comfy, satisfying.
March 1, 2020
Oh, how I miss Maeve! She was such a special writer.
This was her first novel. I must have read it back in the 1980s. Luckily, I barely remembered a thing. I don’t enjoy re-reading fiction when I remember stuff. I made that mistake with Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits. Loved it the first time. Decided to re-read it a few years later when not enough time had passed. The magic was gone. I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first time that I read it.
This is a story of a friendship between two girls, set in Ireland and England in the 1940s and 1950s. The characters were complex and well-developed, as they always are with Maeve. The story grabbed me, and I was thinking about it constantly any time that I wasn’t reading – always a good sign!
The only reason that I am not giving it 5 stars is the ending. It was fabulous all the way through, but the ending just seemed rushed, flat, out of character, and a bit bizarre. It threw me for a loop, and I had to check if I was missing anything. This book is worth reading for all the lovely parts, but just be aware that the ending is weak.
My favorite quote:
“Self-pity brings tears to the eyes quicker than anything else.”
This was her first novel. I must have read it back in the 1980s. Luckily, I barely remembered a thing. I don’t enjoy re-reading fiction when I remember stuff. I made that mistake with Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits. Loved it the first time. Decided to re-read it a few years later when not enough time had passed. The magic was gone. I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first time that I read it.
This is a story of a friendship between two girls, set in Ireland and England in the 1940s and 1950s. The characters were complex and well-developed, as they always are with Maeve. The story grabbed me, and I was thinking about it constantly any time that I wasn’t reading – always a good sign!
The only reason that I am not giving it 5 stars is the ending. It was fabulous all the way through, but the ending just seemed rushed, flat, out of character, and a bit bizarre. It threw me for a loop, and I had to check if I was missing anything. This book is worth reading for all the lovely parts, but just be aware that the ending is weak.
My favorite quote:
“Self-pity brings tears to the eyes quicker than anything else.”
August 21, 2012
I find it hard to objectively review or even rate any of Maeve Binchy's books. I don't pick up any of her novels with the intent of exploring some deep philosophical or cultural questions. Instead, I approach each of her novels as an imaginary journey, a very long movie that plays out through words. The characters she creates in all of her novels are both realistic and engaging and Light a Penny Candle is no exception. Once again, I found myself breezing through the pages, so desperate to find out what happened next to Elizabeth, Aisling and the rest (yes, even Johnny Stone...) only to find myself equally as reluctant to turn that last page and see their stories end. But that's the thing, their stories don't really end. It felt almost as if Binchy had recognized that she needed to end the novel at some point or else she could have gone on forever, following all of the remaining characters throughout the rest of their lives. And I think it is this impulse, the idea that I truly can imagine a whole new set of encounters and exchanges between these characters, that draws me to Binchy as an author. No, Light a Penny Candle does not provide much in the way of heavy discussion, but as far as pure entertainment, I think Binchy is miles ahead of most others. My rating (5 out of 5) may be biased, and possibly influenced by her recent passing, but I think this novel holds its own in her collection against some of my favorites (Circle of Friends, Echoes and Tara Road). If you're looking for some quality escapist literature, I highly recommend this book.
September 28, 2025
This is the first Maeve Binchy novel I've read because I had always assumed she was one of those fluff women's authors not worth my time. But I found this at a book sale and decided to give it a try and dnf if I was proved right.
It turns out she does write about women and women's problems, but boy, does she know how to tell a story!
When WWII starts, 10 year old Elizabeth is evacuated to Ireland because of the bombing in London. The O'Connors have 5 children of their own, welcome her as a part of the family, and she and 10 year old Aisling become fast friends. She goes home when she's 15, but the friendship doesn't end. This novel follows them through the next 20 years of ups and downs, love affairs and marriages, good times and bad. The real star of this book is Eileen O'Connor, Aisling's mother, with tons of common sense and down to earth advice, but still not averse to slapping her kids or being brutally honest when they do wrong.
It turns out that this was Binchy's debut novel, and she went on to become hugely successful. The ending was a little rushed, with an abrupt climax, and some of the events seemed forced, but until then it was perfect. It was also just what I needed right now, a 600 page family saga to escape into. I'll definitely pick up another of her books in the future.
It turns out she does write about women and women's problems, but boy, does she know how to tell a story!
When WWII starts, 10 year old Elizabeth is evacuated to Ireland because of the bombing in London. The O'Connors have 5 children of their own, welcome her as a part of the family, and she and 10 year old Aisling become fast friends. She goes home when she's 15, but the friendship doesn't end. This novel follows them through the next 20 years of ups and downs, love affairs and marriages, good times and bad. The real star of this book is Eileen O'Connor, Aisling's mother, with tons of common sense and down to earth advice, but still not averse to slapping her kids or being brutally honest when they do wrong.
It turns out that this was Binchy's debut novel, and she went on to become hugely successful. The ending was a little rushed, with an abrupt climax, and some of the events seemed forced, but until then it was perfect. It was also just what I needed right now, a 600 page family saga to escape into. I'll definitely pick up another of her books in the future.
March 17, 2018
This book is long! 824 pages. I bought it, second- hand, in paperback and it was so thick that (having become used to reading on a Kindle) it felt quite uncomfortable to hold at first.
I’m an avid reader of crime fiction, and when the story opened with a ‘flash-forward’ in a coroner’s court, I found myself expecting a murder to occur. Eventually, I realised that it wasn’t that kind of story and I became immersed in the engaging saga of two women’s friendship.
Vivid characterisation really is the heart of this book. The main characters are loveable, especially lively red-head Aisling. There was a large supporting cast of distinctive characters: fun-loving Harry, narcissistic Johnny, moaning Maureen. I felt that I was supposed to like Eileen but I found her prematurely old demeanour and judgemental Catholicism quite unattractive. I couldn’t really relate to Simon and Henry – at first I assumed they were a gay couple – how wrong I was!
And then, after 814 pages I’d been suckered.
I’m an avid reader of crime fiction, and when the story opened with a ‘flash-forward’ in a coroner’s court, I found myself expecting a murder to occur. Eventually, I realised that it wasn’t that kind of story and I became immersed in the engaging saga of two women’s friendship.
Vivid characterisation really is the heart of this book. The main characters are loveable, especially lively red-head Aisling. There was a large supporting cast of distinctive characters: fun-loving Harry, narcissistic Johnny, moaning Maureen. I felt that I was supposed to like Eileen but I found her prematurely old demeanour and judgemental Catholicism quite unattractive. I couldn’t really relate to Simon and Henry – at first I assumed they were a gay couple – how wrong I was!
And then, after 814 pages I’d been suckered.
June 16, 2014
I am going to remember “Light A Penny Candle” vividly. I was brought into the lives of friends from ages 10 to about 25. I felt I knew them and the sense of connectivity persists. The setting is 1940s wartime but the novel isn’t about war. A few men figure prominently but the genre isn’t romance. ‘Coming of age’ doesn’t fit. I could see their worlds and my enthusiasm was unrelenting. I’m neither into general fiction, war, nor ‘chunksters’ (450+ pages).... but gobbled these 600 pages in fewer than 3 days. If there were a sequel, I would already have it.
A couple wants their daughter away from the London bombing ‘blitz’. She has an Irish friend, with whom she keeps up Christmas cards but hasn’t visited since her teens. Eileen O’Connor welcomes the overwhelmed Elizabeth. Her daughter Aisling is also 10. Maeve achieves understanding and clarity of all viewpoints by incorporating them. The girls drive the story but emotions and thought processes of the parents and siblings are represented. What an advantage it is to have the best seat in the house: seeing for yourself how this or that behaviour is going to pan out and from whence it came.
Situations arise that reflect the power of upbringing. Distinction between strict and carefree spirituality is vast, aiding all important decisions. Elizabeth’s extraordinary vantage point reminds me of suppers and sleepovers with friends; intimately knowing another family, observing what they do differently. For her, Eileen was a second Mom literally: raising her from ages 10 to 15! She was glad to return to her parents and country but the O’Connors and Kilgarret were also her home. We are shown how worthwhile it is to persevere with our correspondence and that it firmly holds ties across any distance at all.
A couple wants their daughter away from the London bombing ‘blitz’. She has an Irish friend, with whom she keeps up Christmas cards but hasn’t visited since her teens. Eileen O’Connor welcomes the overwhelmed Elizabeth. Her daughter Aisling is also 10. Maeve achieves understanding and clarity of all viewpoints by incorporating them. The girls drive the story but emotions and thought processes of the parents and siblings are represented. What an advantage it is to have the best seat in the house: seeing for yourself how this or that behaviour is going to pan out and from whence it came.
Situations arise that reflect the power of upbringing. Distinction between strict and carefree spirituality is vast, aiding all important decisions. Elizabeth’s extraordinary vantage point reminds me of suppers and sleepovers with friends; intimately knowing another family, observing what they do differently. For her, Eileen was a second Mom literally: raising her from ages 10 to 15! She was glad to return to her parents and country but the O’Connors and Kilgarret were also her home. We are shown how worthwhile it is to persevere with our correspondence and that it firmly holds ties across any distance at all.
July 7, 2012
I know all kinds of women who read Maeve Binchy. Friends and relatives all like her.
Why?
I think its partly because she writes so well about the Irish. She has a knack for showing what Irish Catholics do, believe in, think about etc.
“Light a Penny Candle” begins in the 1940's and ends in 1959. It tells of a very different era from our own. Now we counsel women to leave their alcoholic and violent husbands; then, Irish Catholic mothers told their daughters that it was their duty to stay with such men because of the sanctity of marriage!
I read this novel pretty quickly and so did my mother, who started it and left all her other books behind to focus on it. The pacing is good, though the beginning and end are a bit slow.
My main criticism of the novel is its ending. I won’t spoil it by revealing too much, but I feel that certain characters changed unexpectedly and unbelievably. Binchy didn’t prepare her reader for an ending that seemed rushed or contrived.
Is “Light a Penny Candle” fluffy romance for women?
I don’t think so. The novel tells us so a lot about Irish customs and ways, and it gives us a glimpse of England during WW2 .
I’ll have to read more of her to see what her (many) later novels become. She’s written lots and lots of books, which makes me wonder if she slides into more formulaic writing.
I’ll have to see!
Why?
I think its partly because she writes so well about the Irish. She has a knack for showing what Irish Catholics do, believe in, think about etc.
“Light a Penny Candle” begins in the 1940's and ends in 1959. It tells of a very different era from our own. Now we counsel women to leave their alcoholic and violent husbands; then, Irish Catholic mothers told their daughters that it was their duty to stay with such men because of the sanctity of marriage!
I read this novel pretty quickly and so did my mother, who started it and left all her other books behind to focus on it. The pacing is good, though the beginning and end are a bit slow.
My main criticism of the novel is its ending. I won’t spoil it by revealing too much, but I feel that certain characters changed unexpectedly and unbelievably. Binchy didn’t prepare her reader for an ending that seemed rushed or contrived.
Is “Light a Penny Candle” fluffy romance for women?
I don’t think so. The novel tells us so a lot about Irish customs and ways, and it gives us a glimpse of England during WW2 .
I’ll have to read more of her to see what her (many) later novels become. She’s written lots and lots of books, which makes me wonder if she slides into more formulaic writing.
I’ll have to see!
November 29, 2014
Wow. This was…not what I expected from Maeve Binchy’s debut novel. I have read and enjoyed many Maeve Binchy’s works before this (I just counted - looks like I’ve read 15!), and I enjoyed most of this one, but was slightly disappointed by the ending. It felt like a rather more dark work than I was anticipating.
It was quite long - over 800 pages - but an easy read, chronicling the lives of 2 young girls as they grow up together during the war, turn into young women on opposite sides of the Irish Sea, while continuing their friendship, knowing that they can always count on the other, if needed.
I loved the story, parts of which were heartbreaking, and while I can see how the ending could have happened, I didn’t like it (and I can’t explain why, without giving everything away) and I didn’t like the writing style about 30 pages from the end. It became choppy, and was obviously intentional, in 2 - 3 sentence bursts of action at a time, before moving the spotlight on to the next character’s piece of action.
I was tempted to drop my rating, but left it at 4 stars, because even though I didn’t like the ending, I suppose it was well done, and my dislike is purely personal bias.
It was quite long - over 800 pages - but an easy read, chronicling the lives of 2 young girls as they grow up together during the war, turn into young women on opposite sides of the Irish Sea, while continuing their friendship, knowing that they can always count on the other, if needed.
I loved the story, parts of which were heartbreaking, and while I can see how the ending could have happened, I didn’t like it (and I can’t explain why, without giving everything away) and I didn’t like the writing style about 30 pages from the end. It became choppy, and was obviously intentional, in 2 - 3 sentence bursts of action at a time, before moving the spotlight on to the next character’s piece of action.
I was tempted to drop my rating, but left it at 4 stars, because even though I didn’t like the ending, I suppose it was well done, and my dislike is purely personal bias.
March 16, 2018
Wonderful! I laughed, I cried, and I was so sad when it ended! An amazing story of two friends who become as sisters and the lives they lead.
October 5, 2024
4 Stars
This is a long book, but I didn't notice. The friendship between Elizabeth and Aisling, the O'Connor family, and all the side characters (some of them awful) kept me riveted. First rate family drama.
This is a long book, but I didn't notice. The friendship between Elizabeth and Aisling, the O'Connor family, and all the side characters (some of them awful) kept me riveted. First rate family drama.
December 21, 2017
Another excellent family drama from one of my favourite cosy authors. We follow two girls growing up during and in the aftermath of World War II from girls to women in both Ireland and England.
This was her first novel and it's a little darker than others I've read but a very impressive first book with all her signature touches.
Strongly recommended to Binchy fans.
This was her first novel and it's a little darker than others I've read but a very impressive first book with all her signature touches.
Strongly recommended to Binchy fans.
June 11, 2019
I read this book so fast.. I seriously feel like I’m just now coming back my real life or world!
I want to give this book a proper review. But I’m still so stunned by the ending, I think I’ll wait.
I want to give this book a proper review. But I’m still so stunned by the ending, I think I’ll wait.
January 6, 2022
4.5 stars
I figured it was time for some Maeve Binchy rereads. There are so many overlapping characters and storylines I can never remember which books I have and haven't read before, so this will be a good way to set them straight. Light a Penny Candle is a new one for me, and I loved it.
Binchy writes light stories about big subjects. Even with war, alcoholism, and death, the narrative remains chatty and easy to read. And for over 800 pages, it certainly flies. I don't know many other books this length that feel this short. It's almost a stream of consciousness, switching effortlessly between different perspectives and jumping through time with indifference. At times it can be confusing - taking a sentence or two to realise there's been a change in narrator or time - but it also helps to keep the story flowing.
Elizabeth and Aisling are entirely different people who face many of the same challenges and life experiences. I love their bond and how easily Elizabeth is accepted into the O'Connor family. After their time together during the war, she is one of them. The female friendship here survives strain and separation without the aid of modern technology to bring them closer. It's an excellent model for accepting people for who they are and supporting them for it. I loved both of their personalities. Elizabeth can see the bright side of anything and is always willing to work hard and pursue her goals - even if others are trying to dissuade her. Aisling is brave and outspoken, but she's also incredibly kind and loyal. Their friendship could have dissolved or crumbled at any time, but their dedication to one another is evident.
It shouldn't have to be said, but it was refreshing to read a book published in the '80s that hasn't aged poorly. Light a Penny Candle feels like historical fiction that could've been written within the last twenty years; the women are strong and independent, the topics addressed still seem relevant, and there's no overt racism. What more can you ask for from a book published forty years ago, taking place eighty years ago?
This is Binchy's first published book, and it's a wonderful debut. Character-driven, the slow-burn narrative was difficult to put down, which is surprising for its length. I never knew where the story was heading next, but I was excited to find out, and it's making me glad I've got so much more Binchy to work my way through.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
I figured it was time for some Maeve Binchy rereads. There are so many overlapping characters and storylines I can never remember which books I have and haven't read before, so this will be a good way to set them straight. Light a Penny Candle is a new one for me, and I loved it.
Binchy writes light stories about big subjects. Even with war, alcoholism, and death, the narrative remains chatty and easy to read. And for over 800 pages, it certainly flies. I don't know many other books this length that feel this short. It's almost a stream of consciousness, switching effortlessly between different perspectives and jumping through time with indifference. At times it can be confusing - taking a sentence or two to realise there's been a change in narrator or time - but it also helps to keep the story flowing.
Elizabeth and Aisling are entirely different people who face many of the same challenges and life experiences. I love their bond and how easily Elizabeth is accepted into the O'Connor family. After their time together during the war, she is one of them. The female friendship here survives strain and separation without the aid of modern technology to bring them closer. It's an excellent model for accepting people for who they are and supporting them for it. I loved both of their personalities. Elizabeth can see the bright side of anything and is always willing to work hard and pursue her goals - even if others are trying to dissuade her. Aisling is brave and outspoken, but she's also incredibly kind and loyal. Their friendship could have dissolved or crumbled at any time, but their dedication to one another is evident.
It shouldn't have to be said, but it was refreshing to read a book published in the '80s that hasn't aged poorly. Light a Penny Candle feels like historical fiction that could've been written within the last twenty years; the women are strong and independent, the topics addressed still seem relevant, and there's no overt racism. What more can you ask for from a book published forty years ago, taking place eighty years ago?
This is Binchy's first published book, and it's a wonderful debut. Character-driven, the slow-burn narrative was difficult to put down, which is surprising for its length. I never knew where the story was heading next, but I was excited to find out, and it's making me glad I've got so much more Binchy to work my way through.
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
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August 12, 2021
Maeve Binchy has always been an author recommended to me, but this is the first time I’ve actually dedicated time to reading one of her books. Although she wrote for the Irish Times, her most popular works would fall under chick-lit or “comfort books”. Therefore, it’s fitting that my first Binchy read is also the very first book she ever wrote.
The first part of the book is rather absorbing. A young English girl is sent to Ireland because her parents fear for her safety during the London Blitz of World War II. Her mother had gone to school with an Irish friend, so Elizabeth, a very serious child, ends up in a little provincial village, very much different from her London home. Elizabeth is an only child of cold and indifferent parents, so her world is due for an upheaval when she settles in with the large, boisterous O’Connor clan. She becomes best friends with Aisling as they are almost the same age and it becomes clear this book will be all about their further adventures in life. The second part of the book is the adult part, as the two girls mature and move along. Characters move in and out and much of the fun of the earlier times vanish. The young women discover they are more like their parents than they ever thought and the fates seem set in place for all of us.
Okay. I’m a sucker. The book cover is green (Ireland) with a lovely little cottage that has smoke coming out of it. This is supposed to be a comfort read. Alas, the characters revolted me. Good lord, if these were meant to reflect the women of Ireland and England of the 1940s-1950s, well, I can see why Ireland was poor and the Brits lost their empire. I simply could not warm to any of the characters. And it’s all very soap-opera-ish. Events quickly happen with no reason but to move the story along. The father of Elizabeth is constantly belittled, although I couldn’t understand why. Male friends suddenly become husbands (?) overnight. What-the-heck. If these two women were alive today, they would be doing non-stop selfies and writing “woe-is-me” blogs all day long. Ugh.
My goal in 2021 was to read at least two romance/chick-lit books and I have now hit my goal. There’s a reason I have stayed away from this type of genre, but maybe I just chose the wrong titles. The good? Binchy writes tight. By that, I mean there are no long, superfluous lead-ins. I would like to read her book of columns for the Irish Times, as I can only surmise her non-fiction stories are better than her unreal romance ones.
Book Season = Spring (don’t be fooled by thatched cottages)
The first part of the book is rather absorbing. A young English girl is sent to Ireland because her parents fear for her safety during the London Blitz of World War II. Her mother had gone to school with an Irish friend, so Elizabeth, a very serious child, ends up in a little provincial village, very much different from her London home. Elizabeth is an only child of cold and indifferent parents, so her world is due for an upheaval when she settles in with the large, boisterous O’Connor clan. She becomes best friends with Aisling as they are almost the same age and it becomes clear this book will be all about their further adventures in life. The second part of the book is the adult part, as the two girls mature and move along. Characters move in and out and much of the fun of the earlier times vanish. The young women discover they are more like their parents than they ever thought and the fates seem set in place for all of us.
Okay. I’m a sucker. The book cover is green (Ireland) with a lovely little cottage that has smoke coming out of it. This is supposed to be a comfort read. Alas, the characters revolted me. Good lord, if these were meant to reflect the women of Ireland and England of the 1940s-1950s, well, I can see why Ireland was poor and the Brits lost their empire. I simply could not warm to any of the characters. And it’s all very soap-opera-ish. Events quickly happen with no reason but to move the story along. The father of Elizabeth is constantly belittled, although I couldn’t understand why. Male friends suddenly become husbands (?) overnight. What-the-heck. If these two women were alive today, they would be doing non-stop selfies and writing “woe-is-me” blogs all day long. Ugh.
My goal in 2021 was to read at least two romance/chick-lit books and I have now hit my goal. There’s a reason I have stayed away from this type of genre, but maybe I just chose the wrong titles. The good? Binchy writes tight. By that, I mean there are no long, superfluous lead-ins. I would like to read her book of columns for the Irish Times, as I can only surmise her non-fiction stories are better than her unreal romance ones.
Book Season = Spring (don’t be fooled by thatched cottages)
December 5, 2022
I guess it's to be expected that our perceptions and opinions of books change over time - especially if you haven't re-read them in almost 30 years.
I have effusively praised Light a Penny Candle to many people. I would have given it five stars in 1995 when I first read it. Now that I read it again, I can give it only three stars. Why?
Too begin with it was way too long at 522 pages (in my very small pocket book edition.) It read like an overly long diary of two main characters from 1940 to 1960 and the trials and tribulations they and their families went through. It was one long series of vignettes which would have been better off as a series of books.
I especially liked part one which took place from 1940 to 1945. It tells the story of a little girl, Elizabeth, who was sent by her parents to a small town in Ireland to live with family friends to escape the bombing in London. She is given a warm welcome by the boisterous O'Connor family and develops a life-long friendship with their daughter, Aisling. Their friendship is the heart of the story.
Unlike the O'Connors and Elizabeth, there were some characters who were hard to like, all of them effectively portrayed. I hope Maeve Binchy was married to a kind man who wasn't an alcoholic because her portrayal of one character's struggle was harrowing and tragic. Binchy was a keen observer of human nature, the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.
Most of the women were long suffering except a few like Violet and Aisling who refused to put up with their circumstances. Aisling especially was the bright spot in the book, feisty and full of life.
For character portrayal, I would give this book five stars. But this long family saga seemed like an endless soap opera that presented one bleak dilemma after another. It was exhausting.
And the ending?! I will leave that to you if you have the stamina to make to the end.
I have effusively praised Light a Penny Candle to many people. I would have given it five stars in 1995 when I first read it. Now that I read it again, I can give it only three stars. Why?
Too begin with it was way too long at 522 pages (in my very small pocket book edition.) It read like an overly long diary of two main characters from 1940 to 1960 and the trials and tribulations they and their families went through. It was one long series of vignettes which would have been better off as a series of books.
I especially liked part one which took place from 1940 to 1945. It tells the story of a little girl, Elizabeth, who was sent by her parents to a small town in Ireland to live with family friends to escape the bombing in London. She is given a warm welcome by the boisterous O'Connor family and develops a life-long friendship with their daughter, Aisling. Their friendship is the heart of the story.
Unlike the O'Connors and Elizabeth, there were some characters who were hard to like, all of them effectively portrayed. I hope Maeve Binchy was married to a kind man who wasn't an alcoholic because her portrayal of one character's struggle was harrowing and tragic. Binchy was a keen observer of human nature, the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.
Most of the women were long suffering except a few like Violet and Aisling who refused to put up with their circumstances. Aisling especially was the bright spot in the book, feisty and full of life.
For character portrayal, I would give this book five stars. But this long family saga seemed like an endless soap opera that presented one bleak dilemma after another. It was exhausting.
And the ending?! I will leave that to you if you have the stamina to make to the end.
May 13, 2025
A nice story of female friendship, different versions of mothering, and making one's way forward in life, set in London and provincial Ireland.
June 20, 2014
3.5 stars.
I won't go into the details of the book itself - other reviewers have done so. This is the first Maeve Binchy book I've read where I finished it and felt rather unsatisfied. I have become accustomed to (and a fan of) the way she spins a tale, weaves together the details, and above all exercises the patience to do the story justice.
However, the wheels seemed to come off the story, so to speak, in the middle of the final chapter. It felt like she got tired of writing it and wasn't sure how to wrap it up. The accelerated pace of the latter half of Chapter 16 was bumpy and out of step from the rest of the book. The ending was disorienting and abrupt. I didn't think it was the end, to be honest - listening to the audiobook, I thought the audio file was corrupted.
I still recommend the story itself - I loved the friendship between Aisling and Elizabeth, and the love of Aisling's mother Eileen. Just be aware that you may find the ending less than satisfying.
I won't go into the details of the book itself - other reviewers have done so. This is the first Maeve Binchy book I've read where I finished it and felt rather unsatisfied. I have become accustomed to (and a fan of) the way she spins a tale, weaves together the details, and above all exercises the patience to do the story justice.
However, the wheels seemed to come off the story, so to speak, in the middle of the final chapter. It felt like she got tired of writing it and wasn't sure how to wrap it up. The accelerated pace of the latter half of Chapter 16 was bumpy and out of step from the rest of the book. The ending was disorienting and abrupt. I didn't think it was the end, to be honest - listening to the audiobook, I thought the audio file was corrupted.
I still recommend the story itself - I loved the friendship between Aisling and Elizabeth, and the love of Aisling's mother Eileen. Just be aware that you may find the ending less than satisfying.
February 1, 2017
This novel takes you on a journey between two girls, Elizabeth and Aisling, who are related. Elizabeth who lives in England is sent to live with her cousin, Aisling, in Ireland. The girls have grown up in totally different backgrounds. Years later Elizabeth is sent back to England. Adventures ahead for Elizabeth and Aisling as they try and hold on to the strong bond they developed.
Maeve Binchy accurately takes us on a journey that is cleverly real and quite easily have happened.
Worth a read if you are into historical romance.
Maeve Binchy accurately takes us on a journey that is cleverly real and quite easily have happened.
Worth a read if you are into historical romance.
April 26, 2010
I read this book in the Christmas break of 1983 and loved the warmth that flowed from the page. IN 1994 I saw Maeve speak here in Melbourne and her warmth and interest in her fellow human is as alive and real as her characters. She believes we each have a story that we should write. Her stories of her mother and father were truly hilarious. She usually publishes a novel every two years and I have them all. I reread them when I just feel the need to retreat away with something lovely.
January 1, 2009
I found this a very slow read and terribly predictable. All the characters were one-dimensional, either very good or very bad. And there wasn't a single likable male character. The ending was just ridiculous; solving problems by killing off the source of the problem. Most Maeve Binchy stories have much more interesting plots than this one. I am surprised that so many readers loved it.
August 22, 2008
One of my favorite books of all time.
August 27, 2012
I was pretty disappointed in this book overall. It starts off well, and I was at first enjoying it a lot. But though the writing has energy and drive, the themes never are really given their due, the characters are introduced and barely slip out of a form character for the rest of the novel (which is meant to be 20 years of their lives), there isn't really any consequences to their actions, and I felt like the whole things was a bit shallow.
But rather than being totally negative I'll note the two things I did like: Elizabeth White as a child was stronger. Mostly because we were able to see her adapt to a new country, family, and culture and see her change there—which doesn't happen at all in the rest of the novel, and when Eileen changes her mind about her daughter's separation from her husband it doesn't seem anyone cares anyway. And the relationship between the strong independent woman when Aisling moves to London. Though I totally saw Aisling and Johnny's relationship coming, I did like that she has Aisling ending the book as single, childless, but content and willing to duke it out in the tough streets on London rather than returning to her familial Irish tough.
But otherwise the book fell flat for me. And in particular the male characters. Only the Irish men has something there. Johnny, meant to be so seductive, is just boring and juvenile. Didn't do it for me.
But rather than being totally negative I'll note the two things I did like: Elizabeth White as a child was stronger. Mostly because we were able to see her adapt to a new country, family, and culture and see her change there—which doesn't happen at all in the rest of the novel, and when Eileen changes her mind about her daughter's separation from her husband it doesn't seem anyone cares anyway. And the relationship between the strong independent woman when Aisling moves to London. Though I totally saw Aisling and Johnny's relationship coming, I did like that she has Aisling ending the book as single, childless, but content and willing to duke it out in the tough streets on London rather than returning to her familial Irish tough.
But otherwise the book fell flat for me. And in particular the male characters. Only the Irish men has something there. Johnny, meant to be so seductive, is just boring and juvenile. Didn't do it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2017
Maeve Binchy is an inescapable name in Irish literature. Her works are so abundant in this country that most second-hand bookshops have a whole shelf just for Maeve Binchy novels. Many relegate her to a mere “woman’s writer” (I’m not even going to get into the vile sexism at play in that phrase) but yet she’s more widely read than Joyce, Wilde, Beckett, or Shaw. Seeing her as a glaring omission on my bookshelves I picked up her first novel, Light a Penny Candle (1982). The novel begins during WWII and the Blitz in London. Elizabeth White is sent off to Ireland, away from the bombs of London, to live with the O’Connors of Kilgarret. Aisling O’Connor and Elizabeth are the same age and they become fast friends. The novel follows their friendship for a period of twenty years, through their teens and their twenties. I really enjoyed Light a Penny Candle. The plot is thoroughly engaging and I practically flew through its 824 pages. The drama, the twists, oh! I devoured it all. Maeve Binchy knows how to weave a narrative and trap the reading in her web. It now makes me sad that I never made the effort with her when she was still alive. She now has pride of place on my bookshelves.
March 22, 2009
Maeve Binchy gives us characters who live, laugh, and love. I always think she will give me something light to read because her writing is effortless and, frankly, she doesn't exactly challenge one's thinking. But there is also always something extra to learn, perhaps something to add to one's own way of dealing with life. Light a Penny Candle is a delight.
March 2, 2018
I adore this book. I am an avid reader and this is my no.1!! A story told over decades, pre and post world war 2. it has everything. Too much to tell here. Try it pls. I read my copy at least twice a year and am still amazed by Binchys story. I have had to replace my copy many times as have loaned it out never to have it returned! Enjoy.
April 15, 2020
Review to follow
January 3, 2024
I did not expect to love this as much as I ended up doing. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
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