8 because it's a good (not great) plot that I would read again. I don't read much sci-fi but this one captured me for all of the time it took me to read it and then some when I was mulling over the doctor and his dolls. I won't say it's romantic but more affectionate. It's about a husband who worked for 20 years to earn enough money for an operation on his beloved wife, whom had turned into a crystal. The doctor he'd come to specialized in the type of... (what is the right word...) surgery (? *shrugs* Oh well) that could revive her, only to be told that it was impossible to revive her from this form because the damaged to her crystallized body was too much. In his moment of grief, he fainted. When he woke up, he told the dolls his story and stated his lack of enthusiasm for his life now that the purpose has been taken away. The dolls pitied him and allowed a meeting between the man and the doctor. As for what happened at the end, read it yourself and see how feel about the ending. For me, I find more fascination with the doctor and the dolls then anything else.