A narrative akin to Annie's is found in Kincaid's more contemporary work, Lucy (1990). This novel follows a young woman's journey, aged 17 to 19, as she navigates her new life in America, attempting to shape her identity. The themes introduced in Annie John are further expanded upon here, particularly the connection between the protagonist and the biblical and Miltonic figure of Lucifer, which inspired Lucy's name.

Published twenty-four years prior to Annie John, V. S. Naipaul's Miguel Street unfolds in a similar setting with a comparable storyline. Like Kincaid, Naipaul authored his work from afar, focusing on a boy's coming-of-age in the quasi-Victorian society of Trinidad.

Derek Walcott, a celebrated Caribbean poet and 1992 Nobel laureate, has two collections that directly engage with the themes present in Kincaid's works—writing from a distance in America and feeling alienated from one's homeland. These collections are The Fortunate Traveller (1981) and MidSummer (1984).

Throughout her narrative, Annie mentions her favorite authors. One such author is Charlotte Bronte, particularly her novel Jane Eyre. This comparison is insightful, as Jane also faces the challenge of forging her identity amidst deceased parents and a domineering, harsh step-family. Interestingly, Jane becomes the governess to Mr. Rochester's daughter, whose West Indian stepmother is confined in the attic due to her insanity.

Exploring similar themes of the Caribbean and colonialism, Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) offers a compelling narrative. Born in Dominica, Rhys relocated to Europe, participating in pre-WWI literary circles before retreating to Cornwall, where she later emerged with a response to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Rhys directly addresses the central empire, elucidating the background of the madwoman in Rochester's attic.