Mendelson Shape

Mendelson Shape is a character in the Abarat series. He is the first major anatagonist introduced.

Appearance and Character
Mendelson Shape is a tall and gaunt humanoid. He walks with a pronounced limp due to the loss of his right foot. On his back are an arragement of rods attached to his skin that hold swords. To some extent he is able to flex these up to grab ahold of the hilts of his swords. When he is first introduced, he is wearing nothing but a pair of striped shorts, showing his nearly fleshless body.

Mendelson Shape shows love for songs and rhymes. He sings a scary lullaby to Candy Quackenbush on their first encounter. He can be seen enjoying reading spooky nursery rhymes later on, in the library of the Twelfth Tower on the island of Gorgossium. One can conclude from his thoughts on writing "a song that the Devil sings", that songs play large role in his being.

Shape is not very social, being more of a loner. When stichling Ignacio offered Shape assistance in doing various grim business for Carrion, Mendelson responded that the only person whose company he liked was himself. On the other hand he eagerly engages in conversation with Candy during the flight on a giant moth, so generally unfriendly Mendelson shows signs of need for socializing. Looks like Shape's unwillingness to contact is more consequence of the role he chose for himself, then of natural will to drive away others.

In Abarat
Mendelson Shape works for Christopher Carrion, doing various dark business.

Family
Mother: Miasma Shape Brothers: Nizz Shape and Naught Shape