| LYRA | His Dark Materials heroine is seen in revolutionary contemporary literature (4) |
| EMMA | Jane Austen's heroine is part of the problem, maybe (4) |
| ARMS | & 5D 1894 stage play by George Bernard Shaw whose heroine is Raina Petkoff (4,3,3,3) |
| ANNA | Tolstoy's heroine is brought up unchanged |
| RUTH | _ Wilson, actress who plays Mrs Coulter in His Dark Materials (4) |
| DUST | Use a cloth to clean controversial matter in His Dark Materials (4) |
| KEEN | His Dark Materials star Dafne is showing enthusiasm (4) |
| AMIR | ___ Wilson, actor who played Will Parry in His Dark Materials (4) |
| LAST | Like "The Amber Spyglass" in the "His Dark Materials" series |
| NINA | _ Sosanya, actress whose TV credits include Good Omens and His Dark Materials (4) |
| BLUEEYES | 1873 novel by Thomas Hardy whose heroine is Elfride Swancourt (1,4,2,4,4) (see 16D) |
| APAIROF | 1873 novel by Thomas Hardy whose heroine is Elfride Swancourt (1,4,2,4,4) (see 13D) |
| READ | Enjoy "His Dark Materials," say |
| ARMSAND | And 17 1894 stage play by George Bernard Shaw whose heroine is Raina Petkoff (4,3,3,3) |
| BAITINGTOEXHALE | Flick whose heroine is lured to blow out? |
| CLARISSA | Richardson's heroine is seized by dreadful rascal (8) |
| HOUSEOFMIRTH | "The ___", Edith Wharton novel whose heroine is Lily Bart (5,2,5) |
| CRESSIDA | Tragic heroine is scared to move (8) |
| LASONNAMBULA | 1831 opera by Vincenzo Bellini whose heroine is Amina (2,10) |
| NORTHANDSOUTH | Elizabeth Gaskell novel whose heroine is Margaret Hale (5,3,5) |
