I am glad I came across "The Monster" by Crystal Connor today. The story also carried a theme of certainty and ignoring the superstitions of local lore in favor of modern certainty. The Southern Gothic aesthetic was done well and made the reader feel as they they were in southern america.
The protagonist, Maleka, was skilled and competent. Connor took these characteristics and conveyed them in a black woman, breaking the stereotypical roles of both a person of color and a woman. Maleka didn't need any prince to save her, because she was perfectly able without begging for social acceptance.
This was the first time I've come across this story and had no expectations. If I had expectations, they would have been easily surpassed.
Connor does a great job of blending a military competencies into a southern ghost / horror folk tale, which dismantles traditional expectations and social norms of how gender and race must be portrayed.