Palaces of the Crow is the second Ray Nayler book I read. It’s set in Lithuania during the Second World War, where four young teens caught between the Nazis and the Red Army survive a winter in the woods with the help of a flock of highly intelligent crows. I finished The Mountain in the Sea last year and really enjoyed it. He is a good writer, and his ability to weave theories of consciousness with a compelling story makes these books a joy to read. Palaces of the Crow is no exception.
That said, this was a harder read than The Mountain in the Sea for me. The story reveals itself very slowly, and during the middle parts feels like a bit of a slog. A lot of the emotional depth felt repetitive, going over the same things again and again instead of exploring new territory.
Overall I would recommend it, but I wish it covered more ground than it did.