Destroyer by Victor LaValle
As an adaptation of Frankenstein, Destroyer has the strong theme of the many consequences of creation—for the creator, for the creation, and for their society. A consequence of creation is power, whether used for good or evil. Because of the wide possibilities, creation comes with an immense amount of responsibility. When that power is abused and/or misused, destruction, or the opposite of creation, is inevitable, especially when paired with fear.
Akai’s death is the result of people in positions of authority abusing their power and acting on their fear of what they found to be unfamiliar. The police “destroyed” Akai’s life, and consequently his mother’s family life too.
Most notably, Destroyer also explores destruction in an act of reclaiming Josephine’s own power. The life she knew that she lost from an act of fear led her to create Akai in a new form. However, the injustice that was inflicted on her son ultimately leads her to a complete disregard for humanity. She tells Akai, "You are the start of what will dominate as humanity declines. ... Some will even blame you for our end. And for creating you, they'll label me mankind's enemy, too. 'The Destroyer.' And I will welcome the title. If it kept you safe, I would destroy them all,” losing all care for a society that never cared about her and her family in the first place (chapter 5).
Her thirst for revenge becomes an obsession that leaves her relentless and hungry for blood. In this moment, she does not resemble the loving mother she was to Akai before his death, yet simultaneously still exhibits her maternal instinct. However, the reality is that her aggression is only shocking because she is not only a mother, but a woman. Destruction and being content with being "evil" seems to only be expected by men, which Josephine also points out.
The text invites readers to contemplate on the extent to which fear can control a person. Even Dr Baker herself, though seemingly confident about her intentions, seems like a smart mother who is just afraid of losing her child, rightfully so. This fear of hers has led her to her thirst for destruction and her apathy towards humanity other than her son.