Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy

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. Fantasy stories often take their magical creatures from European lore. Thomas diversifies her novel’s cast by incorporating magical beings from African mythology and Black folktales, such as Azizas and Rougarous. In addition, Thomas goes against the grain of the usual fantasy narrative by subverting the chosen one trope. In her story, the protagonist is the prophesied destroyer destined to fight the chosen one. This arrangement challenges the fantasy genre’s tendency to simplify conflicts to a battle of good versus evil and recognizes human beings’ complexity.

Thomas utilizes fantasy’s unique capabilities to serve her goals as a writer. Because of her childhood experiences, she understands that escapism is a meaningful gift that the genre offers to readers: “I could easily ignore the gunshots in my neighborhood if I was immersed in a magical world” (Thomas). However, Thomas wishes to give her readers not only an entertaining temporary escape from real-world problems but also the strength to confront these issues. She asserts that The Manifestor Prophecy is “just as much a response to the injustices of the world as any of [her] other novels” (Thomas). Her bestselling debut novel, The Hate U Give (2017), won the Coretta Scott King Honor and the Michael L. Printz Honor. The novel follows 16-year-old Starr Carter, whose childhood best friend is killed by a police officer. Like The Hate U Give, Nic Blake’s story takes inspiration from the Black Lives Matter movement. The struggle for justice is a major theme, and Thomas uses fantasy elements like wands to discuss gun violence and police corruption. Another of fantasy’s distinctive traits is its ability to envision a better world. In this light, the wondrous city of Uhuru that shelters its inhabitants from racism is not simply an exercise in imagination but also a source of hope. Thomas uses fantasy to provide readers with a magical haven and a call to action.