YMMV / Tales From Alcatraz

• Alternate Character Interpretation: It can sometimes be hard to tell if some of the more ruthless statements and actions of prisoners like Capone and Willy One-Arm are because they need to put on a show of ruthlessness for fellow inmates or their nicer moments are merely putting on a show for the protagonists, or if they are capable of both genuine cruelty and kindness.
• Base-Breaking Character: Different fans find Little Miss Con Artist Piper either insufferable or annoying, although, for some of her detractors, she is Rescued from the Scrappy Heap through her Reformed, but Rejected arc in the fourth book.
• Even Better Sequel: Despite the Trilogy Creep nature of the fourth book and a few popular characters being Demoted to Extra, many fans feel that the fourth book is on par with the rest of the series and even slightly better than the reasonably popular third book.
• Moral Event Horizon: Few fans have anything good to say about the previously fairly harmless Bea Trixle after she leaves Natalie stranded in the inmate wing (where she could have been raped or killed) just to make Mr. Flanagan look bad.
• Unpopular Popular Character: Janet Trixle is often kept at a distance by the other kids on the island due to her unpleasant parents and her occasional rivalry with Theresa, whom the other kids like better. However, many readers still find Janet entertaining and fairly likable for her Girly Girl with a Tomboy Streak personality and occasional helpful moments.
• Watched It for the Representation: A lot of readers are drawn in by the nuanced and realistic autistic character Natalie and her life in a society that doesn't yet understand autism very well.