I made it about three minutes in before the constant faux-clever, snarky asides were driving me nuts. I couldn’t take a whole show of them so I head to quit.

Totally bonkers. You can’t make this stuff up. Great, balanced, hilarious, storytelling brought to life with the insertion of audio clips from hours of video.

Loved the weaving of two very different women’s stories and the political element of settlers grabbing land that isn’t theirs couldn’t be more relevant today

What a story! Crazy to think it’s based on truth. The production and acting is very well done, so much so I had to keep checking to see if the story was true.

I loved this series. It was intriguing and entertaining. After reading the other reviews, i don’t know why people gave a poor rating for the hosts accent. She just isn’t from the US… don’t get bent out of shape, people. lol. She is wonderful and her accent is lovely.

Okay story, got hung up on the extra syllable the narrator adds to Nicaragua, over and over and over and overrrrrr again. Story is…alright. Felt like it didn’t really go anywhere

Sure pronunciation is a bit different from what most “westerners” expect however I feel that the telling of this story was done very well. Gripping from beginning to… end? Not much of an ending to satiate the craving of conclusion but an ending none the less.

I think you have to wait and listen to this is a binge, it’s barely worth listening to a 30 minute episode when at least 1/3 of it is commercials.

Hours I won’t be getting back.

I will enjoyed the series because the episodes were not terribly lengthy and they were told with some tongue and cheek humor interjected. It’s actually a fascinating story because who amongst us hasn’t wanted to just find a deserted island and steal away and live the rest of our lives and peace and quiet. Series illustrates the risks of not fully vetting your choices and taking the word of someone on the other end of the keyboard across the world.

There are a lot of reviews about the pronunciation of Nicaragua. Come on - the narrator is also from a country that somehow pronounces aluminum like al-u-min-ium, so ya know… 🤷‍♀️ Aside from that, I thought this story was fascinating and very well produced. The reporter did a great job weaving together a complex tale that left me waiting (literally) on the edge of my seat. Made for some great entertainment on a 6 hour road trip!

Interesting story, but it is extremely distracting and almost offensive how every person in this story seems allergic to pronouncing Nicaragua even remotely correctly.

Just terrible! Please learn how to say Nicaragua correctly!!!!! How can you host a podcast and you don’t know how to pronounce the name of the country the story takes place at. Embarrassing!!!!!!

Well done!!!

Sorry but the narrator is terrible! The story may be good, I wouldn’t know as I only made a few minutes.

I can’t listen to something where the narrator doesn’t even try to pronounce the name of the country correctly.

It’s like having a horrible murder case read to you by a Kindergarten teacher, with a lighthearted music and strange jokes weaved throughout.

Loved this!

Alice Levin was great as usual. The story not so much.

Each episode got slower and slower but I trudged through so I hear I things got figured out. It was a big nothing at the end. Disappointed.

This was not up to the standard I’ve come to love about Wondery. The storytelling was meandering, awkward, and un-engaging. I stuck with it thinking “Surely this will get better.” I now regret the time wasted.

YeahB

The story of Janique is mildly interesting, but there’s not much to it, a fact apparently not lost on the producers of this podcast. In order to pad the content, they’ve added an entirely unrelated murder story, that is simply a distraction from the story we tuned in to hear.

Great reporting and love the host. This story is wild!

A woman buys an island and it turns out that the local people didn’t actually consent. Woman and husband turn out to be low-key racists. Do they deserve to be attacked? No. But are they the victims? No. Just read the buzz feed article. It’s quicker and better.

This story had me gripped from the beginning to end. It was told with an unflinching yet compassionate tone. Really well done!

This story is FILLED with unbelievable twists and turns, and seemingly fictional characters. Almost can’t believe it’s all true! Very engaging, playful narration, nothing negative to say here.

I thought the topic sounded interesting then heard your voice, Alice, and I knew this would be a well-researched and well-told story. Love your sense of humor and your ability to make any story interesting! * If you like this podcast check out the pod “British Scandal” where Alice and her co-host, Matt Ford will crack you up as they tell the stories of some very interesting scandals (thus the title) with just the right amount of dark, dry humor to keep you laughing as you shake your head!

I was super into the story then episode 6 goes silent for a good 10 min. I can’t figure out the story!

The story is interesting. The narrator keeps making these jokes to herself as she tells it which just sounds awkward. Does she tell jokes to herself when she’s reading a book as well? Also continues the trend of podcasts that provide enough plot movement in three episodes that could have been summarized in one.

I don’t know why people are making such a big deal out of Alice’s pronunciation of Nicaragua when literally every other Brit on the podcast says it the same way. Clearly, that’s how they pronounce it! Good grief!

🇺🇸(or at least me) Nic-Ooh-Rag-Wah Vs 🇬🇧(or these people) Nic-Yoo-Rag-Wah Ad-Ven-Cha? Mur-Dah? Yeah a lot of dah and hahs and blah blah blah if you listen hard

First off the sound quality is AWFUL, the background noise will give you a headache. I understand there is a different pronunciation in the UK but maybe step out of your privileged box and learn how a country’s name should be pronounced. Shame on Wondery to put this out.

So I have Wondery+ and I listen on the Wondery app but you can't leave reviews there. I'm literally 2:30 minutes into this and I had to stop because the sound effects are shockingly awful! We all know what waves sound like, so you can spare us the ungodly level of noise. My ears physically hurt! I hate audio productions that are too dumb and incompetent to notice that sound effects should not completely drown out the narrator's voice.

why is there a podcast about this?! i’ve enjoyed other Wondery shows but this is really disappointing. a white family has the wealth to leave their lives behind and buy an island. they assume the island is uninhabited and that their money means it’s theirs…classic. turns out they’re wrong and want to put up a fight because they paid big money. i won’t waste my time listening to the rest…

Really liking this podcast. It is interesting and keeps you coming back each week! Highly recommend listening to this one!

Story is boring and English in the worst ways. Production is wrought and host contributions are grating. Love y’all

Brits mispronounce Ibiza, too (they pronounce it “Ibitha” so there’s that. Not sure that’s Alice Levine’s fault, though. She’s fantastic. Listen to British Scandal with her and Matt Forde if you like this podcast. Fewer mispronunciations of Spanish words and fantastic storytelling with a sense of humor/humour.

Why do you keep saying it like that. It’s almost like you know it’s wrong bc you say it soooooooo much:

As someone who will never be able to afford to own a house in the States, I’d like to know how Jane afforded to buy two islands, hire staff, go broke three times, and still buy a chateau, even though her only marketable skills were selecting paint colors and being a former Bunny. The exchange rate is good, but not THAT good. Will the future documentary delve into this mystery, please?

Will someone tell this narrator how to pronounce “Nicaragua”?

Drawn out, overacted, oversoundaffected nothing

Guys guys guys that *is* how it is correctly pronounced in the UK dialect of English.

After listening to the teaser I gave it a try. I skipped through most of the first episode and thought I’d lose interest pretty quick. But then this story just kept getting more and more wild. It outstripped the trailer. The production value and narrator are decent. The story itself is what makes it 5 stars and I’m sure a higher production value piece would turn this into something truly special. A lot of people complaining about the narrator mis-pronouncing Nicaragua. Personally, I think it’s kinda hilarious.

I’m on the third episode and I keep hearing Neek-arak-queue-ah, but I thiiiink she means Nicaragua. I’ll let y’all know…

Just a voice and some sound effects. Wondery used to make such great shows. This is a long way from that.

This is just another form of colonization . Imagine if someone came and bought your land/home illegally and you want it back but can’t because the people who bought it have more money than you? Shame on this podcast for glorifying stealing peoples homes. Making these people feel like victims. Maybe in the sense that they weren’t told the truth. But the REAL victims are people who owned the land and the natives that live in that country. One thing white people are gonna do is go to someone else’s land and take it. White people have no shame they’ve been doing it for years . If you like hearing about how white people are victims when it comes to the consequences of colonialism then this is for you. If you have common sense and empathy then this is a hard pass. There’s no way people who agree with this are God fearing people. Because if you were you wouldn’t be agreeing to this and the people who bought the land would sue the people who sold it illlegally/immorally and do what’s right for the people of the country.

Cheat code - Hire Alice and get 5 stars

I love a serial podcast so I’m gonna keep listening, but I’m not digging the ignorant colonizer vibes and truly cannot handle the gross mispronunciation of Nicaragua. Could no one be bothered to learn how it’s pronounced? On the pro-side, the host is funny and I love her creative flourishes. It’s an intriguing story, like watching a car wreck that could have been avoided unfold in slow motion.

The fact that nor the host or anyone in the team had the decency of spending 5seconds to google how to properly pronounce the name of a country and instead decided to butcher it each time it’s ridiculous. Where in NicaraGUA do you see a Nicarakua??? Like seriously, this is just straight up mediocre.