Elsewhere nobody stops you in the street and says, are you a Catholic or a Protestant, and when you say neither, I’m a Muslim, then says yeah but are you a Catholic Muslim or a Protestant Muslim? Elsewhere there are no religions. Elsewhere everybody is as welcoming as they’d be if you’d come home after a very long time away and they’d really missed you. Elsewhere alcohol is a joke that everybody finds funny. Elsewhere art is endless, exhibitions are free and galleries are open twenty-four hours a day. Elsewhere sleep is deep and the mornings are wonderful. All across the country, politicians vanished.”

All across the country, politicians fell apart. All across the country, politicians lied. All across the country, the media was insane.

All across the country, people told people to leave. All across the country, people threatened other people. All across the country, people drew swastika graffiti. All across the country, people waved flags in the rain. All across the country, people had pinned their hopes on it. All across the country, people felt like they counted for nothing. All across the country, people felt history meant nothing. All across the country, people felt history at their shoulder. All across the country, people felt sick. All across the country, people felt righteous. All across the country, people felt bereaved and shocked. All across the country, people felt legitimised. All across the country, people were laughing their heads off. All across the country, people felt unsafe. All across the country, people called each other cunts. All across the country, people looked up Google: Irish Passport Applications. All across the country, people looked up Google: what is EU? All across the country, people looked up Google: move to Scotland. All across the country, people felt they'd done the right thing and other people had done the wrong thing. All across the country, people felt they'd really won. All across the country, people felt they'd really lost. All across the country, people felt it was the right thing. “All across the country, people felt it was the wrong thing.

Autumn ali smith goodreads