Light a Penny Candle (Paperback)

by Maeve Binchy (Author) "Violet finished the library book and closed it with a snap..." (more)
Key Phrases: Aunt Eileen, Tony Murray, Uncle Sean (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
The chaos of World War II London sends preteen Elizabeth White to the safety of Ireland and into the lives of the much larger and emotional O'Connor family. The enduring friendship she finds with her counterpart, Aisling, forms the framework of this novel, offering clear contrasts between the two families and countries. The early chapters of Binchy's 1982 debut novel are engagingly humorous, filled with solid characterizations of these two very different but compatible adolescents. The girls sustain their friendship and distinct personalities through regular letters, but unfortunately they must grow up and the novel may strain under the conventionality of the genre and some inconsistency, perhaps due to Binchy's inexperience as an author at the time she wrote the original story. Her cousin Kate Binchy reads the book well, capturing the innocence, yearning, and growth of the girls. Recommended for larger fiction collections.
-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
A find...so rich and engrossing you can forget your own problems. -- Glamour

An Irish Thorn Birds...complete and rewarding. -- Newsday --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Signet (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451192028
• ISBN-13: 978-0451192028
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,850,518 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fullfilling and comparable with "Gone With the Wind", April 27, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Light a Penny Candle (G.K. Hall Large Print Book Series) (Hardcover)

This novel was recommended to me by my grandmother and a few of my friends. I had no doubt that it would be good, because I have enjoyed many other books by Maeve Binchy. I never expected it to effect me as deeply as it did. It is so absolutely complete, with war, peace, love, hatred, marriage, divorce, murder, insanity, friendship, respect, birth, disease, and death. You become so utterly attached to the wonderful characters, that each moment of joy for them is a moment of joy for you, and likewise, each moment of pain felt by them is painfully felt by you. I was so proud of the way the two main characters, Aisling and Elizabeth, took control of their lives and defeated all odds. I believe they should be models for all women! The most wonderful thing was their friendship - they stood by each other through thick and thin! I have never read a book that moved me as deeply as this one, but I do find it to be very similar to "Gone With the Wind." Both "Light a Penny Candle" and "Gone With the Wind" were led by bold women who made it through times of trouble (in both cases war and many other challenges) and nothing ever brought them down. I never wanted it to end!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book, January 10, 2003

By	S. Smith "S. Smith" (Dayton, Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Light a Penny Candle (Mass Market Paperback)

This was the first Maeve Binchy book I read and I loved it! I have read every book of her's (except the latest and will do so) and while there are some fluctuations in interesting stories and characters over the course of her many books over the years I believe this book is truly one of her best.

We get drawn in by the well-rounded characters and interesting stories Ms. Binchy devises in this book and I plan to read it again. That is about the highest praise I can give a book-the desire to read it again a few years later when someone says, "Hey, have you read such-and-such" and I think to myself, "I've got to read that again, it was SO good".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Binchy is a brilliant Writer, June 24, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Light A Penny Candle (Mass Market Paperback)

While I am not a seasoned reader of Binchy's books, there are a few things I just have to say. I first read this book when I was 13, it's been 10 years, and I can still completely immerse myself in it. I grew up in non-western environment and I can honestly say I could relate completely to the small Irish town mentality portrayed in this book as well as the responses of the main character to her cloistering social set up- the initial desire to run away from it all, the eventual compromise that threatens to destroy her, and the guilt that comes after she finally asserts herself as an individual. The characters were so real, and Binchy's style was so captivating that I literally had to stay up for 2 nights straight so I finish reading it. In fact my only complaint regarding this book is there doesn't seem to be any sequel. This is tragic. This should be remedied immediately. Aside from being a fascinating account of two very different girls from two very different family set ups in wartime Ireland and postwar England, this book can be said to be the definitive statement of what friendship is supposed to be all abou