No, Light a Penny Candle does not provide much in the way of heavy discussion, but as far as pure entertainment, I think Binchy is miles ahead of most others. And I think it is this impulse, the idea that I truly can imagine a whole new set of encounters and exchanges between these characters, that draws me to Binchy as an author. It felt almost as if Binchy had recognized that she needed to end the novel at some point or else she could have gone on forever, following all of the remaining characters throughout the rest of their lives. But that's the thing, their stories don't really end. Once again, I found myself breezing through the pages, so desperate to find out what happened next to Elizabeth, Aisling and the rest (yes, even Johnny Stone.) only to find myself equally as reluctant to turn that last page and see their stories end. The characters she creates in all of her novels are both realistic and engaging and Light a Penny Candle is no exception. Instead, I approach each of her novels as an imaginary journey, a very long movie that plays out through words. I don't pick up any of her novels with the intent of exploring some deep philosophical or cultural questions. I find it hard to objectively review or even rate any of Maeve Binchy's books. Her cousin Dan Binchy is also a published writer, as is her nephew Chris Binchy. She passed away on 30 July 2012, at the age of 72. The main characters are people whom readers can empathise with.

Her books often deal with people who are young, fall in love, have families, and deal with relationship or family problems. Some of her later novels, such as Evening Class, take place in more modern times. Many of her books, such as Echoes, are set in the past in Ireland. When they were struggling financially, Light a Penny Candle was published, which made her an overnight success. Maeve married Gordon Snell, writer and editor of children's books. After these letters were published, Maeve left teaching and became a journalist. They were so impressed with these chatty letters from all over the world that they decided to send them to a newspaper. While she was away, she sent letters home to her parents. She liked going to different places, such as a Kibbutz in Israel, and she worked in a camp in the United States. She also loved traveling, and this was how she found her niche as a writer. She studied at University College Dublin and was a teacher for a while. Although she described herself as an overweight child, her parents' attitude gave her the confidence to accept herself for who she was. Her parents were very positive and provided her with a happy childhood.

Maeve Binchy was born on in Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland, the eldest child of four.

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