Light a Penny Candle

Maeve Binchy's debut novel follows the lifelong friendship between two girls. Elizabeth White is sent from wartime London to the small Irish town of Kilgarret for safety during World War II. There she meets Aisling O'Connor in her crowded household, and the two become inseparable best friends. Aisling shares her pet kitten with Elizabeth and secretly teaches her about Catholicism, while her boldness helps draw Elizabeth out of her reserved nature. As they grow older, the friendship deepens through life's difficulties. Elizabeth supports Aisling through an unhappy marriage to an alcoholic husband, while Aisling's friendship sustains Elizabeth through her parents' troubled marriage. Over the years, the two women come to believe they can face any conflict or hardship together. The novel explores whether their bond will prove strong enough to withstand the challenges that lie ahead.