User blog comment:The Dragon Demands/Slapping Joffrey compilation (set to "Sweet Dreams are Made of These")/@comment-7337815-20130402173252/@comment-5014364-20130402200829

Cersei is only really good at manipulating people who already follow her. That's ruthlessly abusing trust, but not "manipulation".

The distinction will begin to become shockingly apparent, as we see in the contrast between her and Margaery Tyrell.

The first book sort of builds her up that way, as a manipulator, but then you realize it didn't take much skill to fool and betray Robert and Ned.

Point-blank, there's a point in book 3 when Littlefinger blutnly tells Sansa that Cersei is not very intelligent, that she thinks she's "a player in the game of thrones" but she's really just another piece.