I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book contains a beautiful collection of photographs of “abandoned” places along with a small excerpt of accompanying history.

The title is somewhat deceiving because while these are all islands, many of these places are not abandoned. Some, like Alcatraz, are quite touristy. Angel Island would have been a better choice of San Francisco places to include.

The photos used are stunning. Some are even a little spooky but in a tasteful way. I would have liked a bit more history about each location.

This would make a nice gift for someone interested in urban exploration or general architectural photography.

Abandoned Islands is a captivating travel photo book. It contains 180 beautiful photographs of mostly exotic and some familiar islands. Each location is given a brief blurb that identifies the location and a snippet of additional information. For example Alcatraz Island, off the coast of San Francisco, is allotted four photos with two information descriptors. The book is broken into four sections; North and South America, Europe, The Middle East and Africa, Asia and the Pacific. I was drawn to the beauty of ruins in Scotland and Ireland increasing my desires to travel there. Other places that are more recently abandoned were fascinating but less of a draw to my wanderlust. The book doesn't give information on whether sites are open to tourism so additional research is needed is something sparks interest. This is a unique book that I would gladly check out from a library or gift to a traveler. It isn’t something I would look at again and again. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

These abandoned islands are fascinating, beautiful, eerie and sometimes downright haunting.

I had never heard of 95% of them, so this was a fascinating look around the world and a great history overview. I am itching to learn more about Clipperton and Tetepare. Baljenac "fingerprint" island is my favorite!

There were a handful of photographs in this book that were not the best quality, but I understand how hard it must be to come by photos of many of these islands. I think the book could benefit from having a bit larger text.

Overall, this coffee table book is beautiful and would make an excellent gift, especially for travel lovers who have been shut in for the last two years.

I received this book as an ARC, and this is my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Amber Books!

An interesting collection of islands around the world, all of which once had permanent residents but now do not. I’d argue that an island that has holiday homes on it isn’t ‘abandoned’ per se as it has a seasonal population, similarly those that host researchers or military presences, but perhaps that’s just me being pedantic (as usual ;)). The narrative is minimal, even for a coffee table book, and I would have happily read more about some of the really extraordinary places visited. I enjoyed seeing new places though and there’s always the internet for more information.

The pictures are beautiful. There were brief overviews of the history of the islands, which were well written and very interesting. The pictures vary from more aerial type views to ground level.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This fascinating book is for anyone with an interest in travel and in particular, remote and barren island locations. Places, by definition, that few have visited, at least few in recent years. Islands once inhabited but now abandoned, many with fascinating histories of why they have ended up this way. Some still clearly have building or other infrastructure that remains today, others with few signs of their departed inhabitants. Over time, plants & tree growth often reclaims the environment, sea levels rise, earthquakes and other natural phenomena hasten the decline of man-made buildings and other structures.

The book is divided into chapters, by geographical areas; The Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The photographs provide a glimpse of the lifestyle and occupations of the disappeared inhabitants. The accompanying text provide a brief description of when the islands were inhabited and by who. Also, when known, how, when and why they became deserted. Current uses and future possibilities are provide for many of the islands. The descriptions are relatively brief and left me wanting more information, which was easily available from a quick internet search.

The photographs are a real pleasure to view. Ranging from close-ups of interesting details of buildings and structures to wide-view landscape compositions and aerial views. It is a good the author has placed these photographs, showing the remaining signs of occupation, in the wider context of the island.

This book had stimulated a desire to visit some of these places. Although many are remote and nearly impossible to visit, others are surprisingly close to current day populated areas. Furthermore, I wonder if there might be other publishing opportunities about remote and abandoned places. This book is focussed on islands. I expect there are other abandoned locations, not necessarily islands, that are equally fascinating and photogenic.

In summary, a wonderful, engaging book, with brief, though informative text, providing context and background. I wish the author and publishers all the very best with this fascinating book.

Take a glimpse at the abandoned islands in your own back yard. Everywhere from Canada to Europe and South America, has a tale of an island left in ruins. See the islands of abandoned lighthouses to where Typhoid Mary was imprisoned on. Inspiring and mysterious.

Abandoned Islands by Claudia Martin: the cover alone tells a story that I wanted to know more about. The book is divided into four sections: North and South America, Europe, The Middle East and Africa, Asia and the Pacific. I was left speechless. This is a beautiful photographical tribute to abandoned islands from all over the world. The images are poignant and evocative of people forgotten and places abandoned and drove me to research and learn a little more about more than of the islands. Each image provides a short snippet of information, but not enough to satiate my curiosity. There are so many untold stories captured in these pages and the pictures alone are worth bringing together for this compilation. I enjoyed seeing, learning, and exploring beyond the reach of my own little space here on earth.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Visions of islands around the world, all abandoned at some point in their history fill this lavishly illustrated book. Divided into geographical regions, we see islands of both beauty and despair, some who hold dark histories of slavery, war, pestilence and death. Wonderfully creepy and entertaining with captions that provide historical context. I would have loved a little more information about each island, but this book stands head and shoulders above many other books about abandoned places

If you sometimes daydream about living a life of isolation, far far away from the madding crowds, then this could be your inspirational visual pillow book. The photos are gorgeous - moody, well composed, intriguing. Captions are brief and to the point; just enough, mostly, to get you oriented. There is great variety, (the book is organized geographically), so you can choose your climate, your weather, your flora and fauna, and your favorite type of rocky ground and shingle beach. No abandoned island would be complete without decaying, abandoned structures, and this book offers views of monastic retreats, prisons, forts, and sheds for guano workers. Really something for every taste.

I thought this book was complete fun and a great, refreshing, imagination firing treat. See you on Skellig Michael, at least until Thorn Island reopens.

Our innate love of looking at glossy pictures of islands meets the fad for urban exploration and the appeal of the derelict and abandoned, in this book that certainly manages to justify a full-length volume where I would never have thought such a thing possible. Starting with the Americas, we cover everything from Alcatraz and places destined to house people for other purposes (disease, etc) to low-lying islands where erosion meant the inhabitants scarpered, and so much more. I knew to expect a fine quality in picture selection, and for the captions to be more or less the only text, but as I say I would have never thought to see such a book, and for one so full of variety and spread of contents. Here are prisons, guano farms, fully manmade islands and the world's biggest human-free island of all. And all that's while we've yet to move on to a second chapter. That in turn shows just how many Scottish and Irish islands have been forsaken – and again the surprises and interest are most commendable. Fort Boyard-styled structures up to sanctuaries for endemic wildlife – all is here, with the best pictures showing Mother Nature reclaiming a lot of what we left behind. A strong four stars.