1. A system, comprising: a plurality of nodes implementing a distributed database; wherein at least one node is configured to implement: database storage, configured to persistently maintain a plurality of data pages for the distributed database; wherein at least one other node is configured to implement: a database engine, configured to process one or more access requests directed toward the distributed database; a database cache, configured to maintain a plurality of cache entries for processing one or more access requests, wherein contents of the database cache are preserved irrespective of a failure of the database engine, wherein each of the plurality of cache entries comprises a version of different ones of the plurality of data pages maintained at the database storage; wherein the database engine is configured to: upon recovery from a failure of the database engine: determine a recovery point for the distributed database, wherein the recovery point indicates a consistent state for the distributed database; invalidate one or more entries of the database cache that are inconsistent with the plurality of data pages persistently maintained in the database storage at the determined recovery point; and make the database cache available for access requests directed toward the distributed database, wherein one or more valid cache entries of the database cache are retained from before the failure of the database engine.