A nice discussion on the use of language in Blood Meridian here:
www.berfrois.com/2013/07/language-cannot-be-contemporary/
Whether or not you think McCarthy pulled it off (I do), it is food for thought re: voice and how it dovetails with your story. I don’t think it’s any secret that the call for “plain prose” no matter the story or subject is something I strongly disagree with. Words are a medium like any other, and how you choose to tell the story is as much a part of the story as the plot, or the characters, or the pacing—in fact, it plays a role in shaping all of these elements. For some tales, it is the only distinguishing characteristic of the narrator. Many of the stories I read feel disconnected from any time or place, their voices could belong to anyone. It’s a peculiar experience, like watching naked mannequins act out the story against a green screen. Which is not to vote in favor of multi-page digressions (though I actually like those from time to time, providing they’re handled with authority), or removing all the commas Just Because You Can, or anything pointlessly tricksy. But there seems to be a lot of people who treat a prose style as an affectation, or something that once unleashed will run rampant and destroy the impact of your tale. It is neither; it is just another tool, another thing to learn like everything in writing must be learned. And plain prose is just another style, one that fits some tales but not all. Nowhere near all.
(I do not want to think that the plain prose advocates also use it because once mastered it is an easy vehicle, just rattle off the story in a monotone and move on to the next one, one less thing to edit and shape, etc.)