Marcia B asked Gabrielle Zevin:

I’m enjoying the book but I noticed on page 147 Donkey Kong ia described as a ‘little Japanese Italian plumber’ - but that’s Mario, not Donkey Kong. I’m wondering if that was on purpose to make us pause or if you never played Donkey Kong and hence why the confusion? :)

Gabrielle Zevin Of course I've played Donkey Kong! If you read the passage again, you will find that I'm not describing Donkey Kong here, but the hero of the game, Donkey Kong, who is Mario. While the titular character and villain of Donkey Kong is Donkey Kong, the player character (i.e. the character that the gamer inhabits) and hero of Donkey Kong is Mario (in what I believe is his first appearance). Donkey Kong just stands at the top of the building, hurling barrels like a maniac. :) If that description has a point of interest, it's perhaps that I describe him as "Japanese Italian."

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