I admit... I've never been a fan of Lois Lane. Not that I had anything against her specifically, it's just that I've never been a fan of Superman (I find him only marginally more interesting than Spiderman, damning with faint praise) and Lois sort of got tossed in the disinterest bin with him. Yet, despite the fact that I've read none of the comics, or seen none of the movies, or watched none of the television shows (bar a few episodes of Lois & Clark as a kid), she's still seeped into my cultural awareness. It's a sort of unconscious osmosis.

So why did I pick up this book? Honestly: it was there. I came across it in a university library. I'm glad I did, as it was quite interesting - three and a half stars, rounding up to four. I think what I appreciate most about this book, aside from the very enthusiastic authors who all clearly love Lois, is the range of approaches they've taken to her, and how her presentation in various media reflects cultural concerns and tropes of the times. I can't say that I'm raring to go out and read some of the comics, which often sound frankly terrible, but the Smallville chapters make her sound genuinely appealing, so I'll be adding that to my retro watch list.

After reading this I'm more interested in Lois Lane than I was before, so success! Superman still comes across as a bore though. Sorry.