Abdul Barry, an incredibly intelligent young Muslim growing up in Bariyah, Guinea, is mercilessly tormented by his fellow students and teachers for his effeminate looks. Despite the love and support of his father, aunts, and one of his teachers, he suffers brutal, humiliating attacks from bullies. Things become even worse when he is sexually assaulted by his elementary school French teacher. He tells his parents and the principal, but they refuse to believe him, and the abuse continues. The only bright spot in Abdul's life is Professor Bah, from whom he conceived an ambition to informally learn English, and fantasized about going to the USA.
When Abdul's sister marries a businessman from their tribe, living in Liberia, Abdul jumps at the chance to move to Liberia with her and start a fresh life. However, even though he quickly makes new friends and converts to Christianity, he is unable to escape the abuse. For one thing, his conversion makes him a target for Muslims, who now believe he is an apostate and blasphemer. And when he is raped by two of his new Christian friends, he feels completely adrift. Before he can do anything drastic, though, his friend Michael, a Peace Corps volunteer, gives him new hope: to bring Abdul to America to attend college and hopefully become a US Citizen some day and have a better life.
Elated at first, Abdul soon realizes that America is not free of abuse. He discovers that many White and Black Americans hold terrible prejudices against Black Africans. Even worse, he once again becomes the target of sexual abuse, harassed by a professor and repeatedly and violently raped by a fellow student. Things get so bad that he eventually considers suicide. Desperate, he turns to psychiatric help. With the right medication and Michael's inspirational words, he succeeds in graduating from college, obtaining his citizenship, and landing his dream job with the U.S. federal government--ultimately becoming the Victorious Victim.
