The novel is set in December 1998, with considerable references to the early months of 1979, when an earlier referendum instituting a Scottish Parliament had failed to receive enough votes.
ðə nˈɑːvəl ɪz sˈɛt ɪn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt, wɪð kənsˈɪdɚɹəbəl ɹˈɛfɹənsᵻz tə ðɪ ˈɜːli mˈʌnθs ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn, wˌɛn ɐn ˈɜːlɪɚ ɹˌɛfɚɹˈɛndəm ˈɪnstɪtˌuːɾɪŋ ɐ skˈɑːɾɪʃ pˈɑːɹləmənt hæd fˈeɪld tə ɹᵻsˈiːv ɪnˈʌf vˈoʊts.