Phraseology (Reading Cold Mountain)

As the first gesture of morning, flies began stirring. Inman's eyes and the long wound at his neck drew them, and the sound of their wings and the touch of their feet were soon more potent than a yard full of roosters in rousing a man to wake. (First two lines of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier)

Recently, someone recommended that I read Cold Mountain. I've seen the movie several times, yet I was told in the book the writing came to life in a realistic almost poetic way.

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, phraseology is 1: a manner of organizing words and phrases into longer elements : style. 2: choice of words.

So, with Cold Mountain as an example, phraseology isn't only what you say, but how you say it.

A later example, one of my favorite lines thus far, is:

Inman awoke in a mood as dark as the blackest crow that ever flew.

That's steal-my-breath-away writing.

I encourage you to share other examples of phraseology in action!