After having just re-read this and watched the miniseries I feel that a review is in order!
The 10th Kingdom is a fantasy drama that incorporates the known and beloved Grimm's Fairy Tales along with modern New York. The story begins with two separate plot lines of Virginia and Tony in New York and Prince Wendell in the 4th Kingdom in a different (maybe parallel) universe which inevitably intertwine to tell the story of the 10th Kingdom.
The story opens with Virginia Lewis and her father, Tony who like on the edge of Central Park. Tony is a janitor in a nice apartment building and Virginia is a waitress who is jaded with life. She is convinced nothing exciting will ever happen to her. Meanwhile in another world where fairy tales aren't just stories, they're history, Prince Wendell the grandson of Snow White and heir to the 4th Kingdom is on his way to visit his evil stepmother in a maximum security prison because of reasons. The Queen, his stepmother, murdered his parents in her quest for power. At the prison Relish, the Troll King is busting his three children out of the jail when they encounter the Queen and her pet dog who they also release. The Queen has a plan to get back at Wendell for putting her in jail and to rule the 4th Kingdom.
She switched Wendell with her pet dog, so now the Prince is trapped in a dog's body and the poor dog is running around confused as Prince Wendell. The real Prince Wendell as a dog runs off and the Queen orders the three Troll children of Relish to capture him. Which causes the Queen to realize that they are a rather comical bunch and their bumbling antics will probably result in failure she looks for someone else to aid her in the prison. That's when she meets Wolf. A half-wolf, half-human inmate (only in for a bit of sheep worrying). She sends Wolf to capture the Prince who has lead the three trolls to the basement of the prison where when he knocks over this mirror it activates and reveals to be a magic portal to Manhattan.
The Prince goes through the mirror and Virginia accidentally crashes into him with her bike. Thinking he's just a stray dog she takes him with her to work and calls him "Prince". The trolls and Wolf also go through the mirror and try to track down Prince Wendell separately. Through a bunch of rather strange events Virginia and Tony end up going back through the mirror with Prince Wendell and embark on a journey to find the mirror and go back home and maybe save the 9 Kingdoms and return Prince Wendell to his throne and thwart the plan of the Queen.
I really love this miniseries and the book as well. It's kind of the same spirit as Once Upon a Time the TV series where fairy tales come to life. I would actually recommend watching it first and then reading it because it makes it a little easier to understand some things but the book follows the miniseries almost completely so you can read the book first and then watch the miniseries. Heads up though, depending on what version of the miniseries you get be prepared for 6-8 hours of watching time.
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