In writing Beyond Dreams, Reynolds is faced with the dual task of developing separate voices for each of her stories and advancing themes that unify her collection.

She develops separate voices by varying her literary techniques and narrative styles and by alternating between male and female narrators. She relates each of the character's stories in first person, allowing readers insight into the characters' thought processes. The protagonists in each of these stories undergoes a transformation during the unraveling of their tales, and the first person narration helps readers understand the characters' changing thoughts and emotions. The transformation process is one unifying theme in the collection. So is the process of evaluation, as Reynolds analyzes the ways in which people face challenges and deal with turmoil. Because Reynolds succeeds at distinguishing each of her characters as unique individuals, readers witness the reasoning process from different viewpoints and...