This sounds like an interesting concept. From the first few pages it reminds me of reading The Giver, and maybe with a touch of The Little Mermaid. The descriptions are very good and vivid. I like the cover art- it really caught my eye. A few odd words in there, I don't know if they are made up for the story or if they mean something in the African language? If they are based on a language, a dictionary of the terms used might be helpful and interesting to get a little more background.