Katina

by Roald Dahl

Katina is a short, gripping story of life in wartime from Roald Dahl, the master of the shocking tale.

In Katina, Roald Dahl, one of the world's favourite authors, tells of a young Greek girl fascinated by the British planes and airbase that have come to her village.

Katina is taken from the short story collection Over to You, which includes nine other dramatic and terrifying tales of life as a wartime fighter pilot, and is drawn from Dahl's own experiences during the Second World War.

This story is also available as a Penguin digital audio download read by Cillian Murphy.

Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl's stories continue to make readers shiver today.

Genres: Short Stories, Audiobook

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2012

About the author

Roald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.

Reviews

[Amrita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this story almost 12 years back in school , and weeping after it had ended. Weeping with all my heart for something I couldn't quite describe. I always loved Dahl for his wit and his pithiness, but this was a whole other Dahl. And a whole other world of emotions. This short story was the reason that I picked up a collection of his stories almost a decade later, because Katina had been haunting me since then. I happened to reread this story just about now, and I wept once again. Once again, for reasons I do not fully understand. Is it the fact that there's something inexplicably terrifying and heartbreaking about a little girl so innocent and pure who had turned almost numb with rage and hatred within, because she had seen and felt too much for her age? Is it the image of her tiny self standing out there in the vast open field, with her little clenched fists and puffed up chest towards those in the sky who had taken everything away from her, a fierce little flame soon to be put out and yet to be burning on in every Greek soul? Is it her sweet love for those people in the army who loved her back the same ? Is it those old Greek people , some resigned while the rest still hopeful ? I do not know. But Katina will never leave my mind, for the rest of my life. Of that, I am sure.

[Sohail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is what I call a good read.

[itchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

29november2019

read as part of the collection over to you: ten stories of flyers and flying.

[Esha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 2023 as part of Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying and The Great Automatic Grammatizator And Other Stories.

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admitting, it was an exciting tale and it's both hard and sad to hear about how the war was. But I read/listened to this boon manly because it was Cillian Murphy reading it out loud. He's voice is perfect to a war short story. The mood was set!
The meaning the little girl Katina had for the soldiers was so sweet and just what they needed in such a dark time

[Haise · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing I personally enjoy reading in books is the author's ability to describe human emotion, and I can say that with this short read, Roald Dahl's description of real human emotion was on point, neither too over the top, nor too little. Loved it.

[Mayumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katina tem nove anos. Katina é grega e não consegue se comunicar direito com os pilotos que falam inglês. Katina perdeu tudo para bombas alemãs. Katina só tem ódio.

[mokshali · Rating 5 out of 5]

there aren’t any words that can describe this story, so i’d suggest to just read it so that you can see the magic that is created when an artist shares a piece of his soul without fear or fluff.

[Forked Radish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not factual, nor realistic, only propagandistic.

[José Sócrates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really gut wrenching, the feeling of hopelessness overwhelmed me since the beginning, and followed me until the end of this story.

[Kritanjay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

[Anirudh Mannattil · Rating 5 out of 5]

War - the death of innocence.

Katina aptly captures the horrors of war through a succinctly drafted emotional piece.

[Heidi de Goede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sad story, but one of the better ones in this collection.

[Peter Csanadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first time I ever read any of Dahl's short stories, or anything that wasn't tailored for children. This was a beautiful short story.

[Brave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this short story in February and haunts me today. It is the only short story that affected me like this, at least so far.

[Let Stuup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet.

[Courtney Schafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect the end.