[2] Will and Testament tells the story of Bergljot, a woman living with a history of sexual assault, as she gets caught up in family drama over an inheritance dispute that reignites childhood trauma.

As she ages, her guilt-ridden father begins to treat her differently than his other children, and Bergljot's mother, Inga, works hard to cover up her husband's criminal actions.

Bergljot feels that her underlying conflict with her father's sexual abuse is being ignored and that her testimony is being actively suppressed by her family.

[13] Hjorth illustrates common complexities of sexual abuse allegations: the evidence is often circumstantial, and exact narration can be disordered.

Character interactions exhibit many Freudian concepts, such as the role of childhood sexual encounters in the development of an individual's psyche.

Hjorth describes her writing as heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud, as well as Carl Jung and Ludwig Wittgenstein, and thus she uses dream scenes to further the plot and deepen its layers of meaning.

[17] The translator, Charlotte Barslund, uses erratic punctuation and comma splices to sweep the reader into the narrator's stress and anxiety.

[16] The translator's choices encourage the reader to enter Bergljot's mind and experience her flashbacks, circular thoughts, fears, new ideas, and even dreams.

[1]Speculation about the perceived autobiographical aspects of the novel sparked debates among Norwegian readers regarding the literary ethicality of its publishing.

Some reviews criticize Hjorth for publicly exposing private family information without permission while some praise her for bringing this story of victimhood to light.

[18] Hjorth maintains that her novel is a work of fiction, and any specific events utilized to influence the story were agreed upon by family members.

[20] The response novel tells the story of a woman surprised to find that her sister had written a fictional book inspired by familial conflict in which her character hides alleged incest.

In 2019 Hjorth's mother threatened to file a lawsuit against the Den Nationale Scene for violation of privacy after the novel was adapted into play.