When you begin reading Silja Talvi's book, Women Behind Bars, it appears that it is going to be a simple read. It is written in a journalistic style that reports in detail the life circumstances of imprisoned women in the U.S. Through compelling storytelling, Talvi supports her claims with reference to court documents and other credible material, as well as women's voices through her visits to several U.S. federal and state prisons.

This is arguably the greatest strength of Women Behind Bars; Talvi provides a medium for the most silenced voices in America to be heard. She conveys how such silencing can, and has had, dire and even fatal consequences for imprisoned women.