I read this for a TBR challenge in my online book club, The Reading Cove. As a long time reader of Maeve Binchy's, I hadn't realized LIGHT A PENNY CANDLE was her debut novel, the one that started it all.
I enjoyed the first third of the story, getting to know Elizabeth White and her parents, Aisling O'Connor and her family. The two girls become fast friends in 1940s Europe when 10-year-old Elizabeth is refugeed to Ireland during WW2.
Although this is classic Binchy - very well-written, with strong characterizations, and rich settings - the friendship thread wasn't as strong for me in this story. I really didn't feel too strong a bond between Elizabeth & Aisling once Elizabeth returned to England. And the evolution of their friendship is riddled with typical clichés.
What saves this lengthy tome for me is the thing I love most about Maeve Binchy's writing - her ability to make you feel you know the characters. You become invested in their lives and care about what happens to them. I was moved by how Aisling's mum, Eileen, was so welcoming of Elizabeth, treating her as her own, making what was no doubt a frightening experience for a 10 y/o much more pleasant.
Things got rather strange and out of character in the end, and I didn't enjoy the last third of the book as much. Overall, I didn't feel this book had a wide enough scope for the characters to support its 600 pages, so it definitely felt overlong. I give this one (B-).
I enjoyed the first third of the story, getting to know Elizabeth White and her parents, Aisling O'Connor and her family. The two girls become fast friends in 1940s Europe when 10-year-old Elizabeth is refugeed to Ireland during WW2.
Although this is classic Binchy - very well-written, with strong characterizations, and rich settings - the friendship thread wasn't as strong for me in this story. I really didn't feel too strong a bond between Elizabeth & Aisling once Elizabeth returned to England. And the evolution of their friendship is riddled with typical clichés.
What saves this lengthy tome for me is the thing I love most about Maeve Binchy's writing - her ability to make you feel you know the characters. You become invested in their lives and care about what happens to them. I was moved by how Aisling's mum, Eileen, was so welcoming of Elizabeth, treating her as her own, making what was no doubt a frightening experience for a 10 y/o much more pleasant.
Things got rather strange and out of character in the end, and I didn't enjoy the last third of the book as much. Overall, I didn't feel this book had a wide enough scope for the characters to support its 600 pages, so it definitely felt overlong. I give this one (B-).
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