Touring Tirol, tried to digest extremely tearful novel (6,6)

I believe the answer is:

little dorrit

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'novel' is the definition.
(Charles Dickens novel)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for little dorrit that I've seen before include "(Heroine of) Dickens novel" , "Eponymous heroine" , "(Female) Dickens novel" , "Work of 7 27 [CHARLES DICKENS]" , "Novel by Charles Dickens" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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