Maeve Binchy, Light a Penny Candle
Light a Penny Candle is the story of two childhood friends, Elizabeth and Aisling, who grow up and become adults miles away from each other, but whose friendship never falters.
Elizabeth White, a shy, mousy girl from London, is sent to Ireland, to her mother’s own childhood friend, for the duration of World War II. Raised between a serious and dull father and an unsatisfied and flighty mother, Elizabeth is enthralled by the O’Connors, a buoyant family where loud quarrels alternate with great displays of affection. Elizabeth is soon considered by all like one of the family, but she shares a special friendship with Aisling, who is the same age as her.
As the year passes and Elizabeth goes back home, she stays in contact with Aisling and her mother, through letters and occasional phone calls. As the girls grow up, fall in love or experience hardships, they never lose sight of each other, despite all that keeps them apart. In times of crisis, they turn to each other for support. Through them, it is the differences between two neighboring countries with a history of quarrels that arises: but their different views on such topics as religion, love outside marriage, abortion or divorce will not impair their enduring friendship.
Light a Penny Candle is a very pleasant novel, Maeve Binchy’s narration is simple but straight to the point. It shifts constantly between the two girls, showing their parallel evolutions, miles from each other. It took me a while to get into the novel, but once there, I got enthralled by the story and the characters. I had already read a couple of novels by Maeve Binchy before (Tara Road, Circle of Friends and The Glass Lake), and each time I enjoyed the experience…
Rating: 4/5
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Comments
I can’t remember anything referring to the title in the novel, but religion is one of the things that separates the two childhood friends, Elizabeth and Aisling. Lighting a candle to pray a saint or the Virgin Mary is something typically Catholic and in Binchy’s novels, Catholic young women are often confronted to what the church forbids (sex before wedding, contraception, abortion). In my opinion, lighting a penny candle represents the more hopeful, joyful side of Catholicism…
I just finished reading Light a Penny Candle and enjoyed it very much. I am pondering the title. What does Light a Penny Candle really mean? I couldn’t find it mentioned anywhere in the book. Can anyone offer some insight here?