Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy marks Thomas’s middle-grade debut. The author credits middle-grade fantasy classics, including C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia series, Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, with catalyzing her love for reading. However, the author knows firsthand that the lack of diversity within these beloved tales can be damaging for young readers: “It led me to believe that books in general weren’t for kids like me. Now as an adult, I strive to make sure no kid ever feels that way” (Thomas, Angie. “A Note from Angie Thomas,” The Manifestor Prophecy: Educator’s Guide, 2023). To this end, Thomas’s protagonist, Nic Blake, is a young Black girl, and the novel’s cast contains many other round, dynamic people of color. As a reader and author, Thomas understands the importance of representation, which allows young readers to see themselves in stories.

The author both utilizes and subverts the genre’s common themes and tropes. Thomas employs classic fantasy elements, such as prophecies, a quest for a powerful magical object, and a series of obstacles that test the protagonist and their allies.