The "flattening of surprise" really hits the nail on the head! I think often of this interview with Emily Ogden, on the need to "retain the capacity to be surprised by the objects of your commitments"

lareviewofbooks.org/article/know...

Tam Lin by Pamela Dean
Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer
And any short stories by Vandana Singh

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Xenogenesis by Octavia Butler (techically SF but hey)
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
The West Passage by Jared Pechacek
Discworld by Terry Pratchett
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Little, Big by John Crowley

These are all semi-to-very-well-know, so apologies if they were already on your radar:
Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K Le Guin
Among Others by Jo Walton
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Maybe this wouldn't work for obvious reasons that I'm missing, but there are (a few) good free VPNs. I use Proton and have so far been satisfied

I appreciate the flags on the laptop :)