“It was impossible to stay angry with someone who was genuinely trying to be nice, even if their attempts were clumsy.”
— Eileen's perspective on Elizabeth's initial efforts to befriend her.
Archivist's Choice
Light a Penny Candle
Maeve Binchy (1970)
Genre
Historical Fiction / Romance
Reading Time
1500 min
Key Themes
See below
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During wartime evacuation, a shy English girl and an outgoing Irish girl become lifelong friends, facing love, betrayal, and a changing world.
Synopsis
During World War II, Elizabeth White leaves London for Kilgarret, Ireland, and stays with the lively O'Connor family. She quickly forms a strong friendship with Aisling O'Connor. This bond becomes central to both their lives. After the war, Elizabeth returns to London, and Aisling experiences her teenage years and first love in Ireland. Their lives separate and come back together over two decades. They experience personal successes and painful betrayals, especially when a man creates a rift between them. Despite the pain and their different paths, a chance meeting years later makes them confront their past. This leads to a reconciliation that shows their friendship's lasting strength.
Reading time
1500 min
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Moderate
Mood
Heartwarming, Melancholy, Nostalgic, Reflective
✓ Read this if...
You love sprawling sagas about lifelong female friendships, set against a backdrop of historical change, with rich character development and emotional depth.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer fast-paced plots, minimalist writing, or stories without significant emotional drama and betrayal.
Plot Summary
Elizabeth's Evacuation to Kilgarret
In 1940, ten-year-old Elizabeth White, a quiet girl from a London family, is evacuated from the Blitz. Her mother arranges for Elizabeth to stay with the O'Connor family in the small Irish town of Kilgarret. The O'Connors, especially the outspoken Aisling, are different from Elizabeth's reserved background. Aisling, the same age as Elizabeth, immediately befriends her. Elizabeth is at first overwhelmed by the O'Connor home's chaos and warmth, but she soon adjusts to her new surroundings and Aisling's friendship.
Adapting to Irish Life and Forming a Deep Bond
Elizabeth slowly gets used to life in Kilgarret. The O'Connor family — Aisling's kind mother, Annie, her father, Frank, and her older brother, Sean — welcome Elizabeth. Elizabeth attends the local school and learns about Irish customs and the differences in their Catholic faith compared to her Anglican background. Aisling guides Elizabeth through these new experiences. Their friendship grows as they share secrets, dreams, and childhood adventures. The war, though distant, affects their lives through news and rationing, but their world is mostly about their growing bond.
Mrs. White's Return and Elizabeth's Conflict
After several years, as the war in Europe ends, Elizabeth's mother arrives in Kilgarret to take Elizabeth back to London. Elizabeth is conflicted; she loves her mother but has come to see the O'Connors as her family and Kilgarret as her home. The difference between her refined but emotionally distant mother and the warm O'Connors is clear. Despite Elizabeth's wish to stay, her mother insists on her return. The goodbye from Aisling and the O'Connors is sad for Elizabeth, marking a move from her Irish childhood back to her more formal life. Aisling and Elizabeth promise to write to each other.
Life in Post-War London
Back in London, Elizabeth finds it hard to fit into her old life. Her mother's strictness and the emotional distance at home make her miss the warmth of Kilgarret. She struggles in school and socially, feeling like an outsider among her English peers. Her only comfort is her letters from Aisling, who updates her on Kilgarret. These letters are a link, keeping their bond alive. Elizabeth often feels alone, dreaming of returning to Ireland and Aisling. She also starts to like her mother's lodger, Simon, a kind man.
Aisling's Teen Years and First Love
Meanwhile, in Kilgarret, Aisling grows into a young woman. She is popular and outgoing, enjoying the town's social life. She falls in love with Sean O'Connor, a local boy with the same last name but no relation. Their relationship is passionate but has the challenges of young love and small-town expectations. Aisling shares her romantic experiences with Elizabeth through letters, making Elizabeth feel involved despite the distance. Aisling's dreams focus on a future with Sean, and she wants to make her own way, often disagreeing with her mother's traditional views.
Elizabeth's Return and New Beginnings
Several years later, Elizabeth, now in her late teens, gets a job in Dublin and plans to visit Kilgarret. The reunion with Aisling is joyful, as if no time has passed. Elizabeth is happy to be back among the O'Connors and familiar places. She quickly re-establishes her place in Aisling's life, sharing in her friend's joys and sorrows. Elizabeth finds a sense of belonging she never had in London. She starts to form her own identity, pursuing a career and enjoying new independence, with Aisling's support.
Love, Marriage, and Growing Apart
Aisling and Sean O'Connor marry, and Aisling soon gets pregnant, becoming a wife and mother. Elizabeth, meanwhile, meets and falls in love with Michael, a charming and ambitious man. Her relationship with Michael is passionate but difficult, marked by his demanding nature and her own insecurities. The friends find their lives diverging, with Aisling settling into family life and Elizabeth navigating a complex relationship. Despite their different paths, they try to stay close, but the demands of their relationships and new responsibilities begin to strain their connection.
Betrayal and its Aftermath
The friendship faces its biggest challenge when Elizabeth discovers Michael has been having an affair with Aisling. This news devastates Elizabeth, destroying her trust in both her best friend and the man she loves. The betrayal feels complete, leaving Elizabeth in despair. Aisling, consumed by guilt, struggles to explain her actions. The bond between the two women seems broken, leaving hurt and resentment. The O'Connor family is also affected by the scandal, which impacts their community.
Separate Lives and Lingering Pain
After the betrayal, Elizabeth cuts ties with Aisling and Michael, trying to rebuild her life alone. She moves away and focuses on her career, but the emotional pain remains. She struggles with trust and loneliness, her spirit dimmed by heartbreak. Aisling also suffers greatly. Her marriage to Sean is difficult, and she lives with the constant burden of guilt and the loss of her friend. Both women live years apart, haunted by their friendship and the events that separated them, wondering if they can heal or reconcile.
A Chance Encounter and the Path to Forgiveness
Years pass, and both Elizabeth and Aisling have matured, carrying their past. A chance meeting brings them together again, making them confront the unresolved pain and anger. The first meeting is tense, but beneath the hurt, a bit of their old bond remains. Through difficult conversations and shared memories of their lives, they slowly start to understand the betrayal's complexities. The path to forgiveness is hard, requiring courage from both women, as they acknowledge their roles and how their friendship shaped their lives.
Reconciliation and Enduring Friendship
Reconciliation happens gradually, with hesitant steps and moments of both pain and understanding. Elizabeth, having found some inner peace, offers a cautious olive branch. Aisling, having lived with years of regret, is relieved and wants to rebuild their connection. They start to understand the circumstances that led to the affair, not as an excuse, but as a way to empathy. While the past cannot be changed, they find a way to move forward, recognizing their bond's irreplaceable value. Their friendship, though changed, proves it can last through even the deepest betrayals, showing its strength.
Principal Figures
Elizabeth White
The Protagonist
From a shy, dependent child, Elizabeth grows into an independent woman who learns to find her own voice and forgive profound betrayal.
Aisling O'Connor
The Protagonist
Aisling matures from a spirited, impulsive girl into a woman who confronts her mistakes and seeks redemption for her past actions.
Annie O'Connor
The Supporting
Annie remains a consistent source of unconditional love and practical wisdom throughout the lives of both Elizabeth and Aisling.
Frank O'Connor
The Supporting
Frank consistently provides warmth and stability to his family and Elizabeth, embodying steadfast, good-hearted Irish charm.
Mrs. White
The Supporting
Mrs. White remains largely unchanged, symbolizing the emotional distance Elizabeth seeks to escape from.
Sean O'Connor
The Supporting
Sean grows from a passionate young lover into a more mature, burdened husband who must cope with betrayal.
Michael
The Supporting
Michael's true character is revealed through his betrayal, showing him as a catalyst for pain and growth in the protagonists.
Simon
The Mentioned
Simon serves as a temporary, kind presence for Elizabeth during her difficult readjustment to London.
Themes & Insights
The Enduring Power of Friendship
At its core, the novel explores the bond between Elizabeth and Aisling. Their friendship, formed in childhood, lasts through separation, different lives, and a betrayal. It shows how friendship can bring joy, support, and pain, yet its strength can allow for healing and reconciliation. The story often returns to their connection as the main force in their lives, showing that some bonds, once made, are lasting, even when severely tested.
“What do you mean, is it all right? Of course it is. You and me, Liz, we're like two halves of the same person. Always will be.”
Identity and Belonging
Elizabeth's journey shows her search for identity and belonging. Evacuated from her distant English home to the warm O'Connor family in Ireland, she feels a sense of 'home' and acceptance she never had. Her difficulty adjusting to London after the war shows her feeling like an outsider there, while Kilgarret is her true home. Her eventual independence and ability to forgive relate to her understanding of herself, separate from others' expectations, but always influenced by her Irish roots and her friendship with Aisling.
“She felt as if she had been born again, not just that she had come back to life, but that she had been given a new, better one. This was where she belonged.”
Betrayal and Forgiveness
The novel looks at betrayal and the difficult path to forgiveness. Michael's affair with Aisling breaks Elizabeth's trust and friendship. The story explores the immediate impact of such a betrayal, the years of pain and separation that follow, and the courage needed for both the betrayed and the betrayer to face the past. It suggests that forgiveness is not about forgetting, but about understanding, accepting, and choosing to rebuild, acknowledging the emotional scars while allowing for future connection.
“Forgiveness didn't mean forgetting, Aisling knew. It meant remembering, but without the crippling pain, without the bitterness.”
The Impact of Place and Culture
The difference between wartime London and rural Kilgarret is central to the novel. London is a more formal, reserved, and often lonely place for Elizabeth, while Kilgarret means warmth, community, and open emotion. Irish culture, with its family ties, Catholicism, and community, shapes Elizabeth's views and gives her a sense of identity. The differences in culture and social norms between England and Ireland influence the characters' development, choices, and relationships.
“In London, people kept themselves to themselves. In Kilgarret, everyone knew everyone else's business, and mostly, they cared.”
Love in its Many Forms
The book explores different kinds of love: the unconditional love of family (the O'Connors for Elizabeth), the passionate love between young sweethearts (Aisling and Sean), the deceptive love (Elizabeth and Michael), and, most importantly, the lasting love of a deep friendship. It shows how love can bring joy, but also pain, jealousy, and betrayal. The story suggests that while romantic love can be fleeting, the love in a true friendship, even after being tested, can be the most lasting.
“She had learned that love came in many forms, and not all of them were easy or gentle, but they were all, in their own way, powerful.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
Dual Perspective/Alternating Focus
Narrative shifts focus between Elizabeth and Aisling's lives.
While not strictly dual-narrator, the story frequently shifts its focus between Elizabeth's experiences in London and Aisling's life in Kilgarret. This allows the reader to understand both characters' individual developments and challenges, even when they are separated. It highlights their differing cultural environments and personal growth, making their eventual reunion and the later betrayal more impactful. The alternating focus emphasizes that their lives, though separate, remain deeply interconnected through their friendship and letters.
Letters and Correspondence
Letters serve as a lifeline for Elizabeth and Aisling during their separation.
The exchange of letters between Elizabeth and Aisling is a crucial plot device, especially during their years of separation after Elizabeth returns to London. These letters are not just a means of communication; they are a physical manifestation of their enduring bond, a lifeline that keeps their friendship alive across geographical and cultural divides. They allow the reader to track the parallel developments in each girl's life, build anticipation for their reunions, and later, highlight the painful silence after their betrayal.
Coming-of-Age Narrative
The story follows the protagonists' journey from childhood to adulthood.
The novel is fundamentally a coming-of-age story for both Elizabeth and Aisling, spanning two decades of their lives. It tracks their growth from innocent children to complex adults, detailing their first loves, career choices, marriages, and the profound challenges they face. This device allows Binchy to explore themes of identity, change, and the lasting impact of childhood experiences on adult lives. The long time frame allows for significant character development and the exploration of how relationships evolve and are tested over time.
Wartime Evacuation as Catalyst
The Blitz evacuation initiates the central friendship and plot.
The historical event of the London Blitz and Elizabeth's subsequent evacuation to Ireland serves as the primary catalyst for the entire narrative. Without this event, Elizabeth and Aisling would never have met, and their profound friendship, with all its joys and sorrows, would not have formed. It immediately establishes the theme of displacement and belonging, and sets the stage for the cultural contrasts and personal transformations that define the protagonists' lives. The war provides the initial impetus for their intertwined destinies.
The Small Town Setting (Kilgarret)
Kilgarret acts as a character, shaping the lives and values of its inhabitants.
Kilgarret is more than just a backdrop; it functions almost as a character in itself. Its close-knit community, traditional values, and gossip-driven social structure profoundly influence Aisling's life and Elizabeth's development. The town provides a sense of belonging for Elizabeth and a constant source of both comfort and constraint for Aisling. The impact of the community's judgment and support is a significant factor in the characters' choices and reactions, particularly after the betrayal, highlighting the weight of reputation and interconnectedness in rural Ireland.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“Life had a way of surprising you, even when you thought you knew exactly how it was going to turn out.”
— Reflecting on the unexpected turns in Eileen and Elizabeth's lives.
“There was a certain freedom in knowing you had nothing left to lose.”
— Eileen's feelings after making a drastic decision to leave home.
“People always wanted to believe the best of themselves, and sometimes, that meant believing the worst of others.”
— Observation about human nature and judgment.
“You could build a wall around your heart, but eventually, someone would find a way to climb over it.”
— Elizabeth's eventual softening towards others despite her guarded nature.
“The past was a strange country; they did things differently there.”
— Reflecting on childhood memories and the passage of time.
“It was a mistake to think that love was always gentle; sometimes it was fierce and demanding.”
— Describing the complexities of romantic relationships in the story.
“Sometimes the biggest adventures were not in travelling to far-off lands, but in simply surviving your own life.”
— Eileen's journey through personal hardship and growth.
“A penny candle could light a very dark room, if you let it.”
— Metaphor for finding hope in difficult situations, central to the book's title.
“Friendship wasn't about being identical, but about understanding and accepting the differences.”
— The evolving nature of Eileen and Elizabeth's bond.
“The world was full of good intentions, but they often paved the way to disappointment.”
— Observation about well-meaning actions that lead to negative outcomes.
“You never truly knew someone until you saw them at their worst, and then, perhaps, at their very best.”
— Deepening understanding between characters through shared trials.
“Home was not just a place, but a feeling, a memory, a comfort you carried with you.”
— Eileen's longing for and eventual understanding of 'home'.
“Some secrets were like heavy stones; they weighed you down until you finally let them go.”
— The burden of unspoken truths carried by several characters.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
Light a Penny Candle follows the enduring friendship between Elizabeth White, a shy English girl evacuated to Ireland during WWII, and Aisling O'Connor, a vibrant Irish girl. Their bond forms in childhood and navigates two decades of personal growth, societal changes, family drama, and romantic entanglements, including a shared love interest that tests their loyalty.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
